David's Star II: Journey's End
by evilspoofauthorCassi
Summary: With the journey of David's Star comming to an end, the crew plots to save the life of a dear friend, who will have to join them and return to Florida, saying goodbye to his former world and start his life over. Humor,romance,friendship,and Goodbye.
1. Chapter 1

**David's Star II: Journey's End**

**For the record, if you've not read the original "David's Star" story, this will be confusing, so in my recommendation, you may want to read the first one before you read this one. You'll find it on my profile page. With that said; . . .**

First of all, I'd like to thank all the reviewers and others who have emailed me to tell me what this story meant to them. I was told before I posted it, by a dear friend from church; that if the story touched or helped even one person, then it will have served its purpose. Let's just say that the story has gone far beyond what I had originally planned.

As it was my own story, I can't tell you what you all have meant to me. Thank you to all who read this and enjoyed it. This new story is dedicated to all of you who have loved the first one. Your encouragement and motivation was deeply needed and appreciated.

As for this new story, well, the time has come to finish what I started in the first story. The characters you've come to know will be returning, with a couple new faces to make up for the loss of a few of the crew. There have been good times and there have been bad times. Some of the crew-members have died in the journey, and new people have been added. There have been injuries and lives have been changed.

But even the greatest of journeys must come to an end. This story is the "Journey's End."

Thank you all again.

-Ingrid "Cassi" Vance (Evilspoofauthor2)

**Disclaimer:** The Hornblower Characters are not mine, everything else is. (With the exception of Dr. Sebastian who belongs to Sarah B.) Thank you for allowing me to borrow him.

**Disclaimer: Music and Lyrics:** As with the last story, this story contains many songs and their lyrics. I do not own the lyrics or the songs, (except on my iPod), and I am not making money off of printing them here. Mainly they just go with the flow of the story.

**Other Notes:** For the record, I have done extensive research on medical terms and procedures, and basically looked up anything and everything I could find on gunshot wounds (GSW) particularly to the chest, trauma to the lungs, IV medications, and procedures that would have to be performed in the event of complications. In my research, I've come to the conclusion that it is medically impossible for Archie to have survived the trip to Kingston without proper treatment. To compensate for this medical fact, _David's Star_ had to intercept the _Renown_ within 24 hours after Archie was shot. (I have made it my goal to make the medical facts look more realistic and accurate this time. -as there were some medical errors made in the first story)

**Warning:** This story does contain Christian/Pentecostal/Messianic Jewish overtones that may offend some people. If this kind of Religious theme offends you, I'll pray for you.

**Warning 2:** Trigger warning. This story includes one scene in Chapter Five that turns almost violent and involves attempted assault with intended rape. No it does not happen, but it may trigger memories for anyone who has ever been in that position. (rest assured though, said attacker got more than he was bargaining for)

**Warning 3:** The story also includes discussions and/or descriptions regarding physical abuse, rape, self injuring, drug abuse, severe depression and suicide.

_Author's Note: In this country, it's a known fact that at least one out of every three people was at one point; or is a victim of physical abuse or sexual molestation. And out of these, many do not ever recover from the effects and as a result, either suffer from Self Abuse, drug addiction, and attempt or die by suicide. (or will die as a result of abuse suffered) I wanted this song here because it seems to fit with what I'm saying. We cannot afford to stay and suffer in silence any longer. _

_-Cassi_

"**For Annie" **(By Petra)

"**No one ever noticed Annie weeping. People all around; but she was all alone.**

**Mama's got her meetings. Daddy's got his job. No one's got the time so Annie's on her own.**

**No one ever knew her desperation. People couldn't hear her cry out silently.**

**Locked inside the bathroom, she grabs a jar of pills. The medicine that cures becomes the poison that kills.**

**And it's too late for Annie; she's gone away for good.**

**There's so much we could tell her; and now we wish we could.**

**But it's too late . . . it's too late . . . For Annie.**

"**Sadness fills the hearts of Annie's family. Daddy tries to comfort Mama, uselessly.**

**They hope she knew they loved her, but they really didn't know.**

**They just want to know; why did their baby go?**

**And it's too late for Annie; she's gone away for good.**

**So much we could tell her, and now we wish we could.**

**We could tell her Jesus loves her. Tell her Jesus cares.**

**We'd tell her he could free her, and her burdens, bare.**

**But it's too late . . . It's too late . . . for Annie.**

"**If only we had known her situation; we'd have tried to stop this useless tragedy.**

**Annie's lost forever; never to be found. But there are lots of others like her all around,**

**And it's not too late for Annie. She could be next to you.**

**Don't miss the chance to tell her, before her life is through.**

**We've got to tell her Jesus loves her. Tell her Jesus cares.**

**Tell her He can free her and her burdens, bare.**

**It's not . . . too late."**

**DAVID'S STAR II: JOURNEY'S END**

_**By: Cassi (Evilspoofauthor2)**_

_**PROLOGUE: Portsmouth, England; July, 1800**_

Lt. Archie Kennedy sighed as he walked toward the docks. When he and Horatio had originally been posted on board the _Renown_, they had been so proud, and had celebrated their promotions.

What a disappointment. So far, the entire posting was nothing short of complete misery. The Officers were ready to mutiny, and the crew was hostile with each other. Tempers were short and the men spent more time drunk then they did sober.

Archie stepped back avoiding a splash of mud from the wheels of a carriage as it sped by. Looking both ways, he stepped out to cross the muddy road again. Upon reaching the other side, something caught his eye. In the mud, formed by various wagon and carriage tracks was the Star of David. He stopped short a moment, staring at it. The memories that one symbol brought to his mind surfaced and he closed his eyes.

When his eyes opened, another carriage had sped by, obscuring the star, and nearly plastering his new uniform with mud. Archie stepped back, examining his clothes. It would not do for the new Second Lieutenant Bush to see him with mud on his breeches. Relieved, he found no mud spatters.

He continued on his trek toward the docks. As he neared, he could see Captain Sawyer waiting for the boat that would take them back to the ship. Fighting back his dismay, Archie forced himself to approach the Captain. It would do him no good to be wishing for what may never happen.

As the shore-boat drew nearer to the _Renown_, Archie remained silent. As he was seated in the bow of the small boat, with the Captain behind him, it was not hard to ignore him. When the boat reached the ship, and the Captain climbed aboard, Archie again fought back the dismal Spirits that tormented him.

Desperately, he longed to see them again. Ironic, some of his happiest memories would be of a broken leg. As he sat, absently rubbing his left knee, waiting for his turn to climb aboard, a new feeling arose. Somehow, Archie knew it. He would see them again . . . very soon. He didn't know how. He didn't know when. All he knew was that they were somehow coming back into his life.

That one feeling ignited into a strong flame and for one moment, a smile crept onto his face. Something big was coming. He could feel it with every fiber of his being.

* * *

**Meanwhile, several months later, in the Caribbean Sea. . . **

**Captain's Log: Russell O'Brien Richards ****of the Vessel, **_**David's Star.**_

**Date: October 15, 1800 in the Caribbean Sea **

**Aboard my ship, David's Star, there was a massive double explosion. It occurred when one of the doctored cannonballs was accidentally set off in the Quarters of the Explosives Experts. It took the life of Petur Jakov, critically injured Navy SEAL George Johnson and seriously burned Marine, Jose Chavez. As medical personnel were seeing to the injured Navy SEAL, a second cannon shot blew, triggered by the first. RN Jesus Martinez and Lt. George Johnson were killed in the second blast. Although Lt. David Conrad shielded Dr. Jesse Davidson from the blast that killed Jesus and George, both were badly burned, Conrad the more severe. Explosives Tech, Kim Lee, was not in the room at the time, having been summoned to my Quarters, by me only moments before. This saved his life. **

**Date: October 16, 1800 in the Caribbean Sea**

**Today, we buried at sea, three good men. Jesus Martinez (USA age 27), Lt. George Johnson (USA age 41), and Petur Jakov (Israel age 32). Dr. Davidson, Lt. Conrad, and Marine Chavez were unable to attend the service.**

**Date: October 20, 1800 in the Caribbean Sea**

**Kim's 19 year old younger brother, Chang, was sent in as a replacement for the deceased Petur Jakov. Amongst the other new members to the crew are RN Hannah White Eagle (AZ, USA), Med Student, Allyssa Marsden (SD, USA), Navy SEAL Lt. Steven Curtis (IL, USA), US Marine, Rick Kensington (CO, USA), and additions to the Sailing Crew, Bjorn Westersen (Norway) and Wilson Karens (Queensland, Australia).**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One**

**And a couple weeks later . . . **

"Excuse me." Dr. Katryn Casse spoke up as she passed the First Officer, David 'Davey' Ratzlov in the hallway. "I believe we have the right-of-way."

Davey wrinkled his nose and stepped out of the way. "You certainly do." He replied in his Romanian accent, turning his head away from the smell. Amongst the rules on board the ship, _David's Star_ was the rule that the person carrying the heaviest or the smelliest load had the right-of-way in the hallways and corridors of the ship.

Katryn and her new 21 year old Med Student, Allyssa Marsden, walked on by; each carrying one very dirty litter box.

The pair carted the boxes to the back end of the ship, where they were dumped over the rail.

"Is this stuff biodegradable?" Allyssa asked, making a face at the smell.

"More this way then it would be if we dumped them into plastic bags." Katryn informed her. "It sinks to the bottom. No worries."

Allyssa, a shortish, spirited young woman with blue eyes and jet black hair, had been added to the crew only weeks before. Due to the sudden loss of the Registered Nurse, from New Mexico, Jesus Martinez, in an explosion that had injured Katryn's fiancée and Assistant, Dr. Jesse Davidson and two others, in addition to the three men who died, the crew was in need of new members, particularly to the Medical Team.

Amongst the new members there was also a Registered Nurse, 22 year old Hannah White Eagle, from an Apache Reservation in Arizona.

Allyssa and Hannah, of course, were Katryn's new room-mates. It was nice to finally have some more women on board. They looked to Katryn for direction and as far as Katryn herself was concerned, they were doing much better than originally expected.

As the two women headed back down below decks, Katryn, noticing Captain Richards flagging her down, slowed.

"Here, take them both." Katryn said, handing her empty box to Allyssa. "I think Russ needs me for something."

Allyssa nodded and disappeared below decks, headed for the orlop, where the ship's cats were usually kept. There, she would re-fill the boxes with clean kitty litter.

"Russ." Katryn spoke up in greeting.

"Captain Richards nodded, watching Allyssa's departing. "How are they doing?"

"The girls or Jesse, Jose, and Dave?" Katryn asked, frowning.

"All of the above." Richards responded.

"The girls are doing very well." Katryn told him, with a smile. "I really like Hannah. She is one funny lady to live with, which explains why we get along so well." She paused. "Allyssa is okay. She needs to loosen up bit, but that's normal for a Med Student. They always try too hard to impress the doctors."

Richards nodded. "Good ta know."

Katryn went on. "Jesse could be better. He's not happy about the scarring on his face, but it doesn't bother me. He's still the same old Jesse I fell in love with. Chavez is a Marine. He's bound and determined to get through this, no matter what. No way is a 3rd degree burn to the leg stopping him for long.

"And Conrad?"

"Dave is slightly depressed about losing the use of his eye." Katryn replied, sighing. "I don't think it's going to impair him for long though; and unless the infected part becomes a big problem, I suspect he'll be back out with the weapons before we know it. After all, he only uses one eye to look through the view finder of a sniper rifle."

"And what of yerself?" Richards asked, with a knowing look.

Katryn chewed her lip. "I miss Jesus a lot." She admitted. "He was a really good friend. However, Hannah reminds me a lot of him. Not sure if that's good or bad, but I _do_ like her very much."

The Captain grinned. "Well, then it must be good." He put in, shaking his head. "Have ye thought of our other plans lately?"

Katryn looked up at him, catching his knowing look. "Yeah." She replied, knowing exactly what he was referring to. "What I still can't get is just how we're going to pull it off."

The Captain shrugged. "If God wills it, we'll pull it off." He pointed out. "If not, we won't. We'll just have to leave it to Him to point out how it's going to happen, won't we?"

Katryn nodded, thinking. "I think I can take care of the gunshot, with little problems if I can get an antibiotic into him early enough." She explained. "It's the problem of getting him out of a Kingston jail without anyone, including his best friend knowing about it, that's concerning me."

"We can always just figure it out as we go." Richards suggested.

"Well, yeah, I know God can pull off the impossible, but I think we should at least have some kind of plan." Katryn went on.

"I'm still thinkin' it over, KC." The Captain remarked, looking out at the horizon with a faraway gleam in his eye. "Don't worry about it. We'll get it in time."

"I better get back down." Katryn interjected, with a sigh. "I was only supposed to be doing the litter-boxes. Jesse has been wanting to get up and around, and I have to take a look at him before I allow it."

"Are ye plannin' to allow it?"

Katryn shrugged. "Possibly." She replied, headed below decks. "If I see he has no problems working around his injury."

Behind her, Richards shook his head, smiling. Somehow, he knew Jesse would be up and around, come sunset.

* * *

Jesse stood in front of the mirror in his quarters. He had grown his hair out over the three years of their mission, but the explosion had singed off a good portion of the hair on the right side of his head. The burn marks started just behind his eye and continued back a full four inches. Katryn had then shaved the hair around the injury in order to get a bandage on.

Sighing, Jesse picked up a battery powered razor. Carefully, he began shaving off the rest of the hair on that side of his head. He would simply go back to the mohawk. With scissors, he had already shortened the top to about two and a half inches, not an easy task with the burns he still carried on his bandaged right hand, but he had managed. The back of his hair would stay long, and he would shave off the left side, to match the right.

In the mirror, behind him, Jesse's eyes caught a movement and he realized Katryn had entered his room.

"Somehow I figured this was the first thing you'd do when you got up." She spoke up, with a grin.

Not turning away from the mirror, Jesse shrugged. "Well, since I lost part of it anyway, I may as well get rid of the rest. Besides, I always _did_ like the mohawk better."

Katryn's grin widened. "Honestly, I think the mohawk is more suited to you." She remarked, slyly, as she took the razor from him and helped him with the back section where he couldn't see what he was doing, then moved to the other side where he was having trouble with the bandaged hand. "Make sure you avoid coloring it until that burn completely heals up."

"I can't really color it anymore anyway. Remember?" Jesse reminded her. "We're under orders from what happened last time. They said no more hair extremes. I can probably get away with this because there really was no other choice, but if I get caught with green or blue hair by any of the sponsors on one of their air drop offs, they'll pull me off the ship."

Katryn nodded, remembering. She had been told the same thing about her purple hair. Her hair had gone back to its original light auburn color, with several blonde streaks from being out in the sun. When she was above decks, she wore her period men's clothing, as did Jesse.

Letting Katryn finish his hair, Jesse caught her eye in the mirror. "What have you been planning on Archie?" He asked, after a moment.

Katryn shrugged. "We're still working on that."

"Kat, there is something you need to consider."

"What?"

Jesse's eyes strayed from hers to the floor. "It has to be his own choice."

Katryn pulled the razor away.

Before she could reply, Jesse went on. "I know you like him, and I know you want him to be there for the wedding, but you have to consider one thing. If he goes with us, he can never come back. That means he has to let go of all his friends and family and everything else he's ever known."

Katryn sighed. Somehow she knew Jesse was right. It was not fair to Archie to save his life and then expect him to just join them and leave Horatio and all the others he'd come to care about behind. She owed it to Archie as a friend to tell him before they took him away.

"I know you don't want to think about what would happen if he said no, but you have to at least give him the choice. As it is, you can't tell Horatio and _he_ can't tell Horatio." Jesse continued. "We all know if Horatio knew about it, he would insist on Archie taking the chance, but no one would believe Archie actually died if Horatio didn't. He's not that good of an actor."

Katryn chewed her lip. "In order to do that, we'd have to find the ship and flag them down before they reach Kingston." She answered. "But the hard part is going to be telling Horatio there's nothing I can do."

"So talk to Archie, let him make the choice, get the antibiotics into him, and then tell Horatio you've done all you can do for the moment." Jesse suggested. "That would at least be the truth."

"I'll think about that." Katryn replied, nodding. "I'll have to discuss it with Russ."

The two of them froze for a moment, feeling a change in the flow of the ship.

"We're dropping anchor." Jesse spoke up, frowning. "I wonder what's going on."

"I'll go find out." Katryn told him, as she finished Jesse's hair. "I'll let you take care of the styling part."

"Thanks." Jesse replied, watching her leave his room.

Jesse watched the door a few minutes after she left. What he had told Katryn had not been easy to say, but, in his heart, he knew it was right. He couldn't let her take Archie away from all he knew without first asking Archie what he wanted. Once it was over and if he survived, Archie would have to return with the crew to Florida and then start his life anew . . . but without the best friend he had come he had come to love as his brother. It would not be easy for him.

* * *

As Katryn reached the upper deck, she was greeted with a familiar face. It was Sir Edward Pellew, now a Commodore.

Noticing her, Pellew smiled, bowing to her. "Dr. Casse." He greeted. "And how have you fared in the years since I saw you last?"

Katryn couldn't hide her grimace at the question. "Up until last month, it was pretty good." She replied, looking away.

Pellew nodded. "Captain Richards has told me of the explosion." He commented. "I must express my condolences at the loss of Mr. Martinez. I know your medical team was very close to one another."

Katryn nodded. "Have you heard of anything from Mr. Hornblower and Mr. Kennedy?"

The Commodore's eyes clouded. "News of their ship is not good, I'm afraid." He replied, with a sigh. "I've only heard rumors but they are ominous."

"I know." Katryn replied, honestly. "And it's only going to get worse."

Pellew closed his eyes, briefly and sighed. "So I had been suspecting."

"Do you know where their ship is, by any chance?" Captain Richards cut in. "We're desperately needing to catch up with them and KC I know is concerned with Mr. Kennedy's health."

"Last I'd heard, Mr. Kennedy was in good health." Pellew assured her.

"But that's not going to last." Katryn answered, softly, looking away.

Pellew frowned, staring at her. He knew well that this crew would know more than he of the news from the _Renown_, and somehow, this did not sound good, coming from someone who was normally as spirited as Dr. Casse usually was. Perhaps the rumors he'd heard were more serious than he'd thought.

"KC, you'd best get back to the injured men." Richards told her, pointedly.

Katryn nodded, and walked away quickly, so that neither of the men would see the tears that had formed in her eyes. As she walked back down the steps, they spilled over.

Before she reentered the Sick Berth, she wiped the tears away. She went straight to her quarters and stripped down to her exercise outfit. She went straight to her chin-up bar.

Hannah was seated in her hammock, with a pen and paper, writing in her journal when Katryn entered the room. Watching the surgeon doing chin-ups, Hannah knew something was wrong with her. Setting her journal aside, Hannah got up from her hammock and exited the room. In the days since she'd joined the crew, she knew that Katryn was one who sometimes needed to be alone with her thoughts, and this was one of those times.

As she passed through the Sick Berth, she caught Allyssa's eye and motioned for her to stay out of the room for a bit.

Allyssa nodded. She too had seen Katryn's face when she'd come through.

Captain Richards looked up as he saw Hannah come up from below. He caught her eye and she came over.

Commodore Pellew turned, surprised. Though she was dressed as a man, Hannah had not known there was a visitor on the ship, and had made no move to disguise her gender.

"This is Hannah White Eagle." Richards informed Pellew. "She's a Registered Nurse, sent in when Mr. Martinez passed on."

Pellew bowed. "Pleased to meet you, Miss White Eagle."

Hannah gave a shy smile.

"Hannah, this is Commodore Sir Edward Pellew." Richards told her.

"Oh, Katryn mentioned you." Hannah answered, recognizing the name. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name, but I believe she mentioned you as a Captain."

"I was promoted to Commodore a year ago." Pellew informed her.

Hannah nodded.

"By the way, did ye see how Jesse was, by any chance?" Richards inquired.

Hannah frowned. "Didn't Katryn tell you?"

"Katryn was rather preoccupied when she was up here." The Captain told her.

Remembering the way she had come into their quarters, Hannah nodded. "Oh. Well Jesse is up and around." She answered. "I believe he was shaving half his head, last I saw. The burns kind of took care of part of his hair so he decided he was going to go back to the mohawk."

Richards nodded. "I see." He replied. "As long as he leaves the color out."

"He knows that." Hannah assured him.

"Our people in charge have decided the multi-colored hair was not appropriate and forbade them from dying their hair anything that would not look normal." Richards explained to Pellew.

Remembering the first sight he'd ever had of the Doctors, the Commodore gave a sly grin. "A shame." He commented, in mock disappointment. "I rather thought it becoming on them both."

Richards grinned and shook his head. "Honestly, so did I." He agreed. "But the sponsors threatened to remove them both from the ship if they did not get rid of the color and they are now required to keep their normal clothing below decks. If they are on deck, they are required to be in the clothing of the realm."

Pellew nodded, understandingly. He himself knew the secret of _David's Star, _but he knew others were not as accepting as he was. When he and his men had been aboard this ship last, he'd all but figured things out then. When he'd returned with the supplies they'd promised Captain Richards they would get for him, he had been told outright. Hornblower had returned to _Indefatigable_ at that time, as did the men under his division. Mr. Kennedy had remained in the care of the doctors for a full eight months while his broken leg was healing up before_ he _had returned to Pellew's command.

After Hannah was dismissed, the two had retired to Captain Richards' cabin to talk.

Once there, Captain Richards had filled the Commodore in on what was going on, aboard the _Renown._ He told him of the battle that would take place and of Kennedy's coming death. He left out all parts of the Inquiry and all parts of the mutiny. He had planned to let Pellew learn these things as they came to him.

The Commodore agreed with Richards about saving Kennedy's life. "I always felt that boy deserved more than what he had." Pellew confessed. "Now what is it that you're not telling me?"

"We're not permitted to reveal one's own future."

"Don't give me that." Pellew argued. "You and I have come far and I need to know what it is you're not telling me of those two men."

Sighing, Richards knew what he had to do. He broke the most important rule the sponsors had given. He told Sir Edward everything. The parts about the mutiny, of the officials using Horatio as a scapegoat to spare Captain Sawyer's reputation, and of Kennedy's taking the blame for the entire mutiny in Horatio's place, even mortally wounded. He told of the Captain's madness, the torture of the young Mr. Wellard, and the mistakes of incompetent Lt. Buckland, who only managed to mess things up all the more, before he completely denied all association with the mutiny at all, insisting everything was Hornblower's fault.

After Richards finished, Pellew sat in silence, taking it all in. "Captain Richards, you have my full support to do whatever you have to do to save that boy's life." He finally replied evenly. "I'll keep your silence and I will do nothing to prevent your taking him. In fact, I will assist in any way that I can, if I have to switch the bodies, myself."

Captain Richards nodded. "We'll need to get aboard the _Renown_ before they reach Kingston. Katryn must be able to get the antibiotics into him before the infection turns deadly."

Pellew nodded and pointed at the charts on Richards' desk. "You will find their ship within this area." He informed the Captain. "As long as Sawyer is dead before you meet, you will have no trouble getting on board. Use my name for reference, if you need to."

"We cannot let Horatio know until it is over."

Pellew nodded. "That will not be easy."

"Nothing ever is." Richards pointed out.

After the Commodore had departed back to his own ship, Captain Richards summoned Katryn to his office.

"You rang?" She responded, poking her head around the door.

"The Commodore has told us where to find their ship." He informed her.

"I have to tell him first." Katryn told him.

Richards frowned.

"Jesse says it should be his own choice." She explained. "And I think he's right. We can't ask him to leave behind everything without asking him first what he chooses to do."

Richards nodded. "I see." He stated. "Assuming he agrees, Commodore Pellew has agreed to help us switch the bodies without Horatio noticing. I've told him the whole story. He will keep our confidence and with our permission, he will even let Horatio know when the time is right."

Katryn considered this. "Get me aboard that ship." She replied, seriously. "And I'll have the discussion with Archie."

"Sir Edward has also said to use his name as a reference to get on board if we need it." Richards informed her. "I believe if Archie agrees, we can actually pull this off."

"That's a big 'If'." Katryn answered, looking down. She knew in her heart that Archie, under any other circumstances, would have agreed wholeheartedly, to join them. However, the fact that he might not ever see Horatio or the dear friends he had come to know and love again was going to make this a very hard choice for the young man to make.

Despite the fact that Katryn loved Archie like the brother she had never had and desperately wanted him to be there when she and Jesse were married at the end of their voyage, she knew that taking Archie without his consent would only make things worse. She owed it to him as a friend to respect his wishes.

* * *

As soon as she had returned to the sick berth; instead of heading to her own quarters, she walked over to Jesse's room and closed the door behind her.

Jesse looked up from his mirror as his fiancée seated herself on the bed behind him. After having finished his hair, he had then taken the razor back out to shave the two weeks' worth of growth on his face. His face had been so sore from the burns that Katryn had not allowed him to shave, and he had agreed, not wanting to deal with the pain of agitating the burns. He was just over halfway finished when Katryn returned.

She quietly waited for him to finish shaving.

Jesse was watching her from the mirror in front of him. Noting the thoughtful look on her face, he had no doubts she was thinking about Archie.

Completing the task at hand Jesse brushed the remnants of the beard he had shaved off into the wastebasket in front of the dresser and stepped over to sit beside Katryn.

"Afraid he's going to say no?" Jesse spoke up after a bit.

"I don't know." She responded, distantly. "Given his choices, it's not as if there's a lot to consider. It's either go with us or die a traitor, and either way he's going to lose all his friends and family."

"So what's the problem?"

"I want him there for the wedding." Katryn answered, chewing her lip. After a moment, she continued. "But it's going to be hard enough on him to think of letting go of Horatio and all the other friends he's made." Katryn murmured. "I want him to make his choice of his own free will, not based on my wishes."

Jesse remained quiet, thinking. "In that case;" he replied, choosing his words carefully, "I don't think it's a good idea to tell him about the wedding until after he's made his choice."

"But do I tell him on the _Renown_ or wait until later?"

Jesse frowned. "We know he's supposed to survive until Kingston, but as for surviving the injury itself, Kat, you know as well as I do the complications that come up from letting an injury that severe go without surgery right away. If you want him to know about the wedding, you should probably tell him as soon as he's made his choice." He told her, intently. "Just on the possibility that we _do_ actually lose him in the surgery."

Katryn closed her eyes.

"Kat, I'm not trying to be pessimistic, because we don't know for sure until you get a look at that injury, but we also have to consider the possibility that he may not live through the surgery."

Katryn nodded. "I know that." She replied, meeting his gaze. "I don't like to think about it, but I know."

Jesse put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him, resting his chin on her head. "Whatever happens we'll get through it, Kat." He assured her.

End Chapter One


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER TWO**

Aboard the _Renown_, Horatio sat in silence, on the fighting top. He knew he should be with Archie below, but he could not watch his friend suffer so. It wasn't supposed to have happened like this, he thought to himself. He'd wanted the Captain to die, but Archie getting shot was not part of that plan. His friend had tried to reassure him he was not in pain, but Horatio could see the pain in his tortured blue eyes, betraying his words.

Dr. Clive had wanted to give him laudanum, but Horatio forbade it. The last thing Archie needed was the nightmares that laudanum would give him. No. That would not help him. Instead, he had told Clive to give Archie brandy and valerian. They would ease the pain and help him sleep.

Distantly, Horatio's mind wandered back. Archie had mentioned something several months back when they had first set sail from Portsmouth; where Lt. Bush had first come aboard. He'd said something about a feeling he had. A feeling that they would soon see that one certain ship again. Somehow, it was going to come back into their lives. When and how, he had not known, only that they were coming back.

For a few minutes, after Horatio had seen the blood that covered the front of Archie's white shirt, he had prayed perhaps his friend had been right, and that somehow the crew of _David's Star_ would drop in at just the right time and save the day as they had once before. After a day and a night of sitting by Archie's side in the sick berth, Horatio had all but given up. "It should have been me." He murmured, as a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Sails to starboard!" Called out a voice from below.

"Mr. Hornblower!" Shouted Lt. Buckland. "What do you see?"

Sighing, Horatio wiped his face, pulled out his spyglass, and looked to their starboard. What he saw caused his mouth to drop. Could it really be? Surely this couldn't just be his mind playing tricks on him. He pulled the glass down and rubbed it with his shirt sleeve, then put it back up to look again. There was no mistake. The colors were now white, but the star still remained. Archie's prediction seemed to have suddenly come to life before his very eyes.

"What is it, Mr. Hornblower?" Buckland shouted again.

Immediately, Horatio shook himself back to reality. He knew the older man needed to know if they would have to clear for action. "It's _David's Star!_" He finally called back. "They will not attack! They are friendly!" As the words left his mouth, he quickly descended from the fighting top.

Buckland frowned. "Are you certain they are friendly?" He asked, frowning as Hornblower's feet hit the deck.

"I know that ship, sir." Horatio assured him. "You have my word. They do not attack unless they are fired upon first, and then the results are rather dismal. I've seen this ship sink a 32 Gunner with only four shots."

After a minute, Buckland nodded. Certainly he must have seen they were in no condition to fight anyway. The battles past had been rough and they were seriously short of crewmen as well as officers.

"They're signaling, sir." Styles reported, with a knowing grin. "They say Commodore Pellew told 'em where they migh' find us."

Horatio's head shot up, his hopes rising. Obviously they had asked Pellew then. Perhaps they already knew of Archie and this was what he had been waiting for.

"The Captain wishes ta come aboard, with 'is First an' Second Officers an' the Surgeon." Styles continued.

"We must let them come aboard." Horatio informed Buckland, knowing Katryn would certainly have come to see Archie.

"Signal back, and tell them to come aboard." Buckland ordered. "If the Commodore told them to find us they must need something important."

Thinking of Kennedy, Horatio nodded. Somehow, he knew exactly why they had come. Turning away, he looked at Matthews and motioned for him to go below. Perhaps Archie's fortunes were about to change.

* * *

Below decks in a hammock in the Sick Berth of the _Renown_, Archie was in the middle of a coughing fit. Dr. Clive was trying to get him to take the laudanum in Horatio's absence, but Archie was shoving the bottle away, insisting he couldn't take it.

Both looked up when Matthews entered. "Mr. Hornblower's respects sir." He said to Kennedy, unable to keep the excited tone from his voice. "They've sighted _David's Star_ off the starboard side. They're bringin' Doc KC aboard sir."

For the first time since he had been in the sick berth, Archie's face lit up.

"I am completely capable of caring for the men on my own, Mr. Matthews." Dr. Clive protested.

"Dr. Casse is a friend, and I wish to see my friend again, Dr. Clive." Archie managed to get out, gasping. "Certainly, you would not be against that."

Dr. Clive sighed. "No, I don't suppose I _can_ be against that."

Archie lay back, keeping his breaths as shallow as possible. For the first time since this had happened, hope had crossed his face. But could even a surgeon as proficient as Katryn fix an injury this severe?

* * *

Above decks, Captain Richards was introducing his Officers to Lt. Buckland. "This is David Ratzlov and Jacques Cortez." He informed the Acting Captain, politely. "My First and Second Officers . . . and this is Dr. Casse, our ship's Surgeon."

The men bowed, respectfully.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Lt. Buckland replied in turn. "Might we retire to the Captain's Quarters, to talk?" He suggested.

"Dr. Casse would like permission ta see Lt. Kennedy, if ye don't mind, sir." Captain Richards informed him. "We were told he was aboard this ship."

"I'm afraid Mr. Kennedy is unavailable at the moment." Buckland answered, quickly. "He was injured in the recent battle we had on board our ship, and is certainly not well enough to receive visitors."

Dr. Casse raised an eyebrow. "If you don't mind, sir, I'd like to see him anyway." She insisted. "He's a very good friend, and no matter what condition he's in, I doubt he'd object."

"If I may, Leftennant Buckland." Another man interrupted.

"Yes, Dr. Clive." Buckland replied, moving farther away from the visitors.

"Mr. Kennedy was told the Surgeon was here and wishes to see his friend again." Clive told him softly, although not soft enough for Katryn to overhear. "And if his condition is as bad as I suspect it is, this may be the last opportunity to do so."

"Very well." Buckland finally answered louder. "Please escort Dr. Casse to the sick berth then."

As Katryn was lead away by Dr. Clive, the others, including Horatio, were ushered into the Captain's Cabin with Lt. Buckland.

* * *

The moments passed, and Archie grew more desperate. His injury alone kept him in his hammock.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Katryn, dressed as a man, was escorted into the Sick Berth by Dr. Clive. Her hair looked lighter, and her skin was darker, but hers was a face he'd know anywhere. Yet what he saw in her eyes tightened the fear in the pit of his stomach and made his blood run cold. Katryn was afraid, and he could see it plainly written on her face. The hopes he'd had of recovery were starting to fade.

"Can you leave us alone?" She asked, quietly removing her hat.

Dr. Clive, knowing that Kennedy really didn't have much of a chance anyway, nodded and exited the room. He assumed in his own heart the Doctor had merely come to bid farewell to a friend.

Her hair was definitely lighter. A reddish blonde . . . almost the exact same shade as his own, he realized, looking her over. There were a few more lines on her face, showing her age more than he'd remembered. The last time he'd seen her, he could hardly believe she was eight years his senior.

All this time, she had said nothing and he watched her eyes, keeping his breaths shallow.

"That bad, is it?" He asked, softly breaking the silence.

Seeing her lower lip tremble as a single tear slipped down her cheek, Archie sighed. Yet still, she said nothing. He had seen Katryn cry before, but somehow, this was different. Deep within the farthest reaches of his mind, he had entertained thoughts of another miracle being pulled off, but one look into the ice-gray eyes of his dear friend had already told him all he needed to know.

"Well at least tell me how much time I have left." Archie pleaded, desperately, after another moment of silence.

Katryn sighed. "Kingston." Was all she said.

"Will I live until the Inquiry?"

"Yes."

"But not long after that." He concluded.

She didn't have to reply. He saw it in her eyes.

Katryn had told Archie in the months he spent living on _David's Star_ that she always saw a person's eyes as the windows to their soul. She could tell many things about a person, with one look into their eyes. Indeed, she had read _him_ like a book . . . but there was something else that Archie had noticed about her. Sometimes her own eyes would betray her. It was one of the things that had intrigued Archie about Katryn. She had a piercing gaze that felt as if she were looking into your soul. But that same gift also made it harder to mask her own emotions, and Archie had gotten to know her well. He knew very well what it was she was afraid to say.

"Is there nothing you can do?"

Katryn looked around the sick berth, making sure the other men were otherwise occupied. "There is something, but you may not live and it has to be your own choice."

Archie frowned. "What are you saying?" Did he have a chance after all?

"You die of the infection, not the gunshot."

"Meaning?"

"If the infection can be prevented, you may have half a chance." She replied.

Watching her face, he realized she was not saying everything. "There's a 'but' in there somewhere." Archie put in, coughing.

"If we do this, you have to join our crew, and you'll never be able to come back." She told him. "History says you will die in Kingston after your testimony."

"My testimony?"

"You know exactly what I mean." Katryn informed him. "You're already planning it, and you have to save the one who will take the blame otherwise."

Archie closed his eyes. He'd had a feeling ever since he'd heard the Captain was dead. Then Mr. Wellard had died with the Captain. Of the three men who had witnessed Captain Sawyer's falling into the hold, there were now only two left, and himself mortally wounded. Horatio would be the one to take the fall. Unless Archie himself confessed, they would hang Horatio for treason. He was already dying, but Horatio was not. No. Archie could never leave Horatio to take the blame for a mutiny they had _all_ been a part of. If he was meant to die anyway, then the secret of Captain Sawyer would die too. He would take the stand and confess to the crime. Horatio would be exonerated, and Archie would die anyway: at least that was how History would write it. Even if Archie did not survive whatever Katryn was planning to do, he would still have wanted it this way. He wanted Horatio to live on, to be promoted to Captain, Commodore, maybe even Admiral and Lord. He would get married and have children. 'He would live for me.' Archie decided.

"If we prevent the infection, forge your death, and switch the bodies, you'd have to return to Florida with us as part of our crew, and start your life over . . . without Horatio." Katryn waited a moment for this to sink in. "And more than that, you would die as a traitor to your country. By taking the blame in his place, you'd give up your good name, your loyalty, and whatever little your family ever thought of you won't be helped by this."

Archie swallowed hard, closing his eyes. He was being given the choice he'd always thought he'd agree to in a second. To join their crew. But he had not counted on never again seeing his friends. Katryn stood in silence as Archie thought it over. "My family severed all ties to me a long time ago." He informed her, shaking his head. "I tried several times to appeal to my father. I even went back to the manor to see him. To tell him I understand why he did what he did, and I forgave him. I was never given the chance to tell him in person. My brother Will had me thrown off the property, telling me if I ever returned he'd see that I was arrested." Archie trailed off.

"If I survive and go with you, I would never see any of them again." He whispered, as a tear rolled down his cheek. "But if I stay here and die, I wouldn't see them anyway . . . and either way, they would have to live without me."

Katryn nodded.

Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, Archie looked her in the eye. "I would rather join your crew, than die." He replied after a moment. "But I want Horatio to know about it. I cannot bear the thought of the pain he would go through, believing I was dead. It would devastate him."

Katryn shook her head. "He's no actor, you know that." She told him, gently. "If he knew, no one else would believe it. He_ has_ to believe you died; at least until after everything is all over."

Archie sighed. She was right. Licking his lips he looked at her again. "What if he was told afterwards?" He asked. "You said yourself there was only a half chance anyway. If I survive, then you can tell him."

After a moment, Katryn nodded. "Agreed." She replied. "But for one thing."

Archie looked at her.

"Write a letter to your father." Katryn suggested. "Tell him you are dying and you want to at least have him know how you feel. Tell him what you told me. We'll send the letter off, without putting your name on it. That way, your brothers can't intercept it. I don't know how he'll take it, but I think this is something you desperately need to get off your chest. To make peace with the past."

Archie closed his eyes. Peace. Yes, this is what he'd wanted so badly. To let go of the past and bridge the gap between he and his father, even if he knew he would never see the man again; and if he truly didn't survive the operation for whatever reason, he desperately wanted to make peace with the past that had tormented him for so long. "I'll do it." He finally declared. "Now what is it you are planning to do to prevent the infection? I believe we have an agreement already."

He watched as Katryn put on a pair of rubber gloves and pulled out two needles.

"This is penicillin." She told him, making sure no one else saw. "This should stop the infection. Half goes into your arm." She informed him, swabbing a place on his arm with alcohol.

Archie winced as the needle pierced his flesh. The content was cold and he felt it run through his arm.

"The other half goes into the gunshot wound itself." Katryn went on, gently pulling aside the bandage enough to get a look at the wound.

Archie watched her face as she examined it. Her reaction was as bad as he'd feared. He'd already known it was bad, but somehow, seeing Katryn's reaction made it all the more real.

Recovering her initial surprise, Katryn injected the rest of the needle's content into the wound.

Archie jerked as the cold medicine touched raw skin and exposed nerve.

"Sorry." Katryn apologized, gently recovering the wound. "I wasn't really trying to make you jump through the ceiling, but unfortunately, you _did _need that."

Archie gave a half smile. "Just a bit cold, that's all." He assured her. "What's in the other needle?"

Katryn grinned slyly. "Morphine."

Remembering his last experience with Morphine, Archie's smile widened, and he shook his head. He would have laughed if he could have done so without hurting himself.

"It should help you sleep, and it _will_ take the pain away." She reminded him. "Even if you _do_ act like a drunkard when you get enough of it."

"True." Archie admitted. "I suppose it would keep Dr. Clive from trying to give me laudanum, at any rate."

Katryn made a face. "Throw the stuff across the room if you have to." She told him, seriously. "I don't care how improper it is. You don't need _that_ crap."

Slowly Archie watched her inject the contents of the second needle into his arm. "It shouldn't take long." Katryn reminded him.

"I'm aware of that fact." Archie replied with a smile, feeling the warm rush of the drug as the pain in his chest slowly began to fade.

"Is there anything else I can do while I'm here?"

Archie closed his eyes, contented. "Sing me a smile." He murmured.

Katryn chewed her lip. "You're serious?" That would certainly blow her cover as a man.

"It may be the last time I ever see you again." Archie pointed out, opening his eyes and focusing on her face. "Is it too much to ask?"

"No." Screw her cover. If this was what he wanted then she would not deny it.

Knowing what song she wanted, Katryn opened her mouth to sing. Within those few seconds, every man in the berth knew she was a woman, and even several above decks who overheard it, Horatio included.

"_So you stood there on the corner;  
With your suitcase in your hand;  
Ready to quit this place.  
There were just too many people  
With too little left to lose.  
You were just one more face;  
But you weren't born to give up easy.  
You weren't raised to just lie down._(_Over and Over_By Puff Johnson)

"And you saw the sun that rises up for more  
Over and over.  
You watch the wave that wears away the shore  
Over and over again.  
And if there's any justice in this world,  
Gotta keep fighting on  
Over and over.

"They say God always forgives us;  
But can we forgive ourselves  
If we let our hope die?  
Cause if passion is a weakness  
And silence is a strength;  
Who's gonna hear the cry?

"So we gotta climb the highest mountain;  
We gotta shout for all to hear!

"And we'll see the sun that rises up for more  
Over and over and over.  
And we'll feel the wave that wears away the shore  
Over and over and over again.  
And if there's any justice in this world;  
Gotta keep moving on  
Over and over.  
You gotta keep fighting on  
Over and over.

"All that we dream can come to be.  
All that we lost we'll find if we  
Just strike the match  
And fan the flame;  
We'll build a blaze  
That lights the way.

"We'll be the sun that rises up for more  
Over and over  
We'll be the wave that wears away the shore  
Over and over again  
And if there's any justice in this world  
You gotta keep moving on  
Over and over.  
Gotta keep fighting on Over and Over . . . again."

By the time she'd finished the song, the Officers from above decks had come down to see what was going on.

Buckland was staring, openmouthed.

Archie was smiling, his eyes closed.

Looking over at Horatio, who suddenly seemed to realize that perhaps Archie was indeed beyond her help. He looked at Katryn, desperately, and she looked at the floor. "No." He whispered, under his breath.

Seeing his hurt look, Katryn went on, choosing the next song carefully. She had to make him understand.

"_Two months is too little._

_They let him go. They had no sudden healing._

_To think that providence would take a child from his mother while she prays;_

_Is appalling._

_Who told us we'd be rescued?_

_What is changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?_

_We're asking why this happens to us, who have died to live?_

_It's unfair._

_This is what it means to be held;_

_How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life;_

_And you survive._

_This is what it is to be loved,_

_And to know that the promise was when everything fell, _

_We'd be held._

_This hand is bitterness._

_We want to taste it, let the hatred know our sorrow._

_Though eyes have opened slowly to lilies of the Valley and tomorrow._

_This is what it means to be held;_

_How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life;_

_And you survive._

_This is what it is to be loved, and to know_

_That the promise was when everything fell, _

_We'd be held._

_If hope is born of suffering;_

_If this is only the beginning,_

_Can we not wait for one hour, watching for our Savior?_

_This is what it means to be held;_

_How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life;_

_And you survive._

_This is what it is to be loved, and to know;_

_That the promise was that when everything fell;_

_We'd be held. We'd be held._

_Oh, this is what it means to be loved _

_And to know that the promise was when everything fell,_

_We'd be held . . . This is what it means to be held . . ." _(_Held _By Natalie Grant)

Katryn wiped her tears away and quietly walked out of the sick berth, making her way between the surprised men. Amongst the men, there were very few dry eyes in the berth. Archie's eyes met Horatio's and despite the clouded look that came from the morphine she'd given him, a look of understanding passed between them.

Horatio swallowed and quickly followed after Katryn. There was something more he needed to ask of her.

As Horatio raced after the Surgeon, he was stopped by Mr. Hobbs.

"So Mr. Kennedy spent a considerable amount of time with this surgeon, did he?" The man questioned, pointedly. "I can certainly see why."

Horatio's blood ran cold. "And just what is it you're implying, Mr. Hobbs?" He asked, coldly. "Because the crew of _David's Star_ does not take very well to those who insult their surgeon's reputation, and neither do I."

"I was merely observing why one would want to spend time with their surgeon." Hobbs remarked, evenly. "It is _you_ who implied other things."

"I implied nothing of the sort." Horatio snapped. "And the majority of Mr. Kennedy's time with Dr. Casse was while he was suffering from a badly broken leg, which he had to have immobilized, and was therefore tied to the side of the bed to prevent his injuring himself further. That is the extent of their time together." He paused. "Besides, as far as I am told, Dr. Casse is currently engaged to another Doctor on board their own ship, or did you not notice she is in fact wearing a ring on her left hand?"

"My apologies, sir." He remarked, deciding not to provoke the Leftennant.

"Dismissed." Horatio answered, before continuing in his trek to find Katryn before she left the ship.

* * *

Katryn was not hard to find. If there was one thing Horatio had learned of Dr. Casse, it was her addiction to climbing, and that when she needed to think, she either did stretches or climbed the masts in search of a quiet place to be alone with her thoughts.

The first thing Horatio did was look up. Predictably, Katryn had climbed up to the fighting top, to sit and wait until the others were ready to return to their own ship.

"Is there nothing you can do?" He asked after he'd climbed up after her.

She looked up at him. "I've done all I can do here."

"Then take him to _your_ ship." Horatio pleaded.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because he has to be on this ship when it docks in Kingston for the Inquiry." Katryn informed him.

Horatio sighed. He should have known she'd already know about that. "If he cannot go there, can someone from there not come here?" Secretly he was hoping she herself could come, but he knew better than to ask such a thing of her.

Katryn sighed. "He didn't tell you."

"Who didn't tell me what?"

"Captain Richards didn't mention the explosion." Katryn stated.

"Explosion?"

"Jesus, George, and Petur were killed." She informed him, her voice breaking. "Conrad and Jesse were burned pretty badly. Jesse's up now but his right hand is still in bandages, so he can't really use it. I have to stay because Conrad lost the sight in his eye and it may have to be surgically removed if the infection gets any worse."

"Would that be Lt. George Johnson, the Navy SEAL?" Horatio asked, frowning.

"Yes."

After a pause, Horatio sat down beside her, ironically the exact place he'd been when he'd sighted their ship. "I liked Lt. Johnson and Mr. Martinez." He remarked, looking down.

"So did I." She responded, somberly, wiping a tear away.

After a moment of silence between them, Katryn sighed again. "I can check and see what Willie's doing." She finally answered, pulling out a small black box.

Horatio stared. This was something he had not seen before.

"Medical, come back, this is KC, over?" She spoke, holding down the button.

A staticky female voice came over the black box. "Dr. Casse, this is Allyssa. We have a problem."

Katryn frowned. "Conrad?"

"No, it's Will." Allyssa replied.

Horatio's face fell and he groaned.

"What's up?" Katryn asked.

"Here's Dr. Davidson." Allyssa answered, apparently passing her own black box to Jesse.

"Kat?"

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not, but I'll tell you anyway." Jesse answered. "Willie broke his arm. He knocked into Brandon on the stairs and fell."

"You're sure it's broken?"

"Positive. Hannah and Allyssa are helping me cast him now."

Katryn set the box down a moment, thinking. "Sorry."

Horatio just shook his head. "Is that Allyssa a Doctor?"

"Allyssa is a Medical Student." Katryn informed him. "She can't practice without a doctor's supervision, and she doesn't have the skills she'd need for an injury like what Archie has."

Horatio's heart sank lower, as Katryn frowned, thinking.

"Jesse, put Hannah on a sec." Katryn spoke into the box after a moment.

Horatio frowned at the unfamiliar name.

"Yeah boss?" Another female voice came over the box.

"Can you get over here please?" Katryn asked, eyeing Horatio's face. "I need to see you."

"On my way."

"Hannah, make sure you're in drag." Katryn ordered.

"Got it. Over and out."

Katryn put the box down. "Don't get your hopes too high. Hannah White Eagle is a Registered Nurse." She explained. "She can give him painkillers and keep him off the laudanum, but there's nothing much else she can do."

Horatio sighed. "If you trust her, than I do not object." He replied, seriously. "I trust Dr. Clive about as far as I can pick this ship up and throw it."

"He's still trying with the laudanum." Katryn told him, shrugging. "Archie said so. I told him to throw the stuff across the room if he had to. That crap will kill him faster than the _bullet wound_ will."

"As I suspected." Horatio retorted. Then, after a pause, he continued. "There was one more thing I wanted to ask about."

Katryn raised an eyebrow.

"Would you be so kind as to have a look at Styles while you're here?" He asked, quietly. "He was beaten rather badly by one of the shipmates below not long ago, and I believe he may have a few bones broken. He hasn't said anything, but it's not hard to tell."

Katryn nodded. "Take me to him and I'll take a look."

* * *

A few moments later, Katryn was down in the sick berth yelling at Lt. Buckland and Dr. Clive for letting such an injury go unnoticed.

Horatio and Styles stood nearby, staring. They had seen her temper before, and wished no part of it.

"The Captain told us at the time that as he was still standing, he couldn't be all that severe." Buckland protested, lamely.

"I suppose if the Captain told you to go dance naked in the moonlight and then jump off a cliff you'd do _that_ too, wouldn't you?" Katryn retorted, hotly.

Over in his hammock, Archie started coughing again and Horatio rushed over to help him sit up. Both of them knew without saying anything, that each was thinking the same thing. Of all the orders their late Captain had given, Katryn was not far off in her assumption. Not only that, but they also knew that Buckland might actually have followed such an order as well.

"KC." Richards warned.

"He has four broken ribs and two more cracked." Katryn growled. "He should be in _bed,_ and not allowed to lift anything heavy! This man is not fit for duty and you're _ignoring_ it!"

"I wasn't ignoring it!" Clive defended. "It was simply that I had other patients in much worse condition."

"If he gets pneumonia from this, it could KILL him!" Katryn shouted. "What? That's not _severe_ enough for _you_?"

Styles, off to the side, looked at the floor. He had not even tried to rest, nor had he said anything to anyone, including his own commanding Officer about the pain he had been hiding. He had not known it could be that bad. Frowning, he remembered the similar injuries of Lt. Redbird from his days on _David's Star_, and realized the Surgeon was right.

Matthews elbowed him slightly. "It weren't yer fault." He remarked quietly. "The Doc wouldn' listen before when we tried to tell 'im, remember?"

Styles nodded, not completely convinced. He remembered well the part he'd played in the battles earlier. Ignoring his pain, he had given everything he'd had. He had not complained, and he had not slowed down. Only after it had ended did he allow himself to finally rest. The condition he was now in was as much his own doing, as it was the doctor's for ignoring it.

In the midst of the argument, several men walked into the room. Amongst them were Brandon Jefferies and Duane Marco, who were fairly good friends of Styles and Matthews, as they had shared a berth when Horatio's division had been posted on _David's Star_.

Duane and Brandon immediately gravitated over to their old friends, while the third man stayed near the doorway, seemingly unsure of what to do in the midst of the argument.

"Okay, what did we miss?" Brandon asked, looking at them. "If I missed a fist fight, I wanna know who won."

"They're not fightin' yet." Matthews assured him.

"Bummer." Brandon quipped. "I wanted to see a good fist fight."

Duane elbowed him. "The Captain's lookin' over here. Smile." The two gave fake toothy grins, that really only made them look guiltier.

Captain Richards, knowing the two well, merely shook his head rolling his eyes.

Horatio, ignoring their conversation, was eyeing the third man. This man was unfamiliar to Horatio. Obviously he was an American Indian, as one could tell by the dark skin and high cheekbones. He was dressed in white breeches, with a purple topcoat over the top of a black waistcoat. His black hair was pulled back into a queue, and he wore what looked like the hat of an Acting Leftennant, but it was slightly different. Frowning, Horatio noticed, as the newcomer reached up to remove his hat, that his fingernails were all painted a glossy black. At that point he realized that this had to be the Nurse Katryn had called over, and was therefore not a man at all. An interesting concept from his point of view. Had he not been told she was a woman, he would never have known. Strange these women of the future would be so good at hiding their gender. One would have to wonder if there was anything to a few rumors he'd heard on _David's Star_ of men who did the same thing. He would have to ask Hannah or Katryn about it later on.

After a beat, Richards finally stopped the argument. "The ship has been through a battle, KC." He reminded her, pointedly. "I'm sure it was accidental that he was overlooked on a ship of so many people."

"Skitsnack." Katryn retorted, eyeing Dr. Clive.

Horatio frowned. He was not familiar with that term.

Buckland and Clive were also apparently not familiar with it either, as far as Horatio could tell from the looks on their faces.

Beside Horatio, Archie snorted. He was covering a smirk.

Horatio caught his friend's eye and raised an eyebrow in question. Archie pulled Horatio's ear close to his mouth. "It means 'Bullshit' or 'Bullocks.'" He whispered. "It's Swedish."

Horatio nodded, shaking his head. "Since when did _you_ speak that language?"

Archie coughed and gave a shrug. "I picked up a few things during my stay there." He explained, keeping his voice down. "And I don't speak the language; I only know a few words she taught me. That's all."

"KC, I think we'd best be gettin' back to our own ship." Richards put in, giving her a serious warning. "You have injured men to worry about in yer own sick berth."

Katryn finally nodded, seeming to reign in her anger. "I'd like to leave Nurse White Eagle here to help with the injured." She spoke up, looking Dr. Clive in the eye. "You seem to have a lot of men here to deal with and from the looks of things, you really need the help."

"White Eagle?" Clive asked frowning.

Hannah stepped forward. "That would be me, sir." She responded with her voice pitched lower to hide her gender more. Frowning, Hannah looked at Katryn confused. She had not realized this was _that_ kind of meeting.

"You're a nurse?" Clive asked, eyeing her.

"Yes, I am." Hannah replied. "I have been for two years. I graduated Nursing School early and with high honors."

"I wasn't aware the Indians were able to receive such schooling." Clive pointed out.

"Yes, well we don't have Indians on our ship." Hannah retorted, evenly. "Every _idiot_ knows that Indians come from India, and _I_ am from America."

Dr. Clive and Lt. Buckland stared at the newcomer, shocked that a lower ranking crewman would dare speak with such sarcasm in the presence of his Captain.

"Mr. White Eagle; now is not the time for arguing." Captain Richards cut in. Hannah, like Katryn was one who had problems holding her sarcasm and attitude to herself. "I assure you, Dr. Clive; Nurse White Eagle is completely trustworthy and knows how to take care of patients."

"I wanted him here mainly for Mr. Kennedy's sake, sir." Katryn informed him, after a moment. "As a nurse, he can't perform surgical procedures, but he has a different medication that can keep him comfortable, and he can help out wherever else he is needed.

"I can wash and clean less serious wounds; I can put in stitches, and assist in some more complicated medical procedures." Hannah told Dr. Clive, looking around. "And if I may say so, you look rather exhausted, and there are a lot of injured men here."

Dr. Clive blinked. "Well I suppose when you put it that way, perhaps you have a point." He finally replied. "I _have _been tired lately and I could use the assistance from someone who actually knows what he's doing." Most of the time he relied on the loblolly boys to assist and they were not always very good at what they did.

"Unless Lt. Buckland has any objections?" Horatio asked, looking over at the Acting Captain.

"Well, this seems to be more Dr. Clive's decision, than mine." He quickly answered. "If Dr. Clive can use the assistance, I have no objections."

"As long as it is made clear when ye arrive in Kingston that Nurse White Eagle is not a member of yer crew, and has nothing ta do with yer Court Marshal." Captain Richards insisted. "I'll not have a member of my crew facing charges when they 'ad nothin' at all ta do with it."

Buckland and Dr. Clive nodded.

"We have an agreement, Captain Richards." Lt. Buckland answered, nodding.

"I'll have to fetch my things from _David's Star_." Hannah spoke up, after a moment. "And whatever medical supplies I need here as well. I just wanted to ask one thing. Where would I be sleeping?"

"Sir, the Nurse may have my quarters, if it suits him." Archie spoke up, softly. "I doubt I'll be sleeping there any time soon."

Buckland nodded. "Of course." He replied. "Mr. Hornblower, if you would, please make sure Mr. White Eagle gets his effects and assist in bringing whatever medical supplies he needs to care for the men."

"Aye aye sir." Horatio responded, with a salute.

"And I'd like to speak with Dr. Casse for a moment as well." Hannah added, turning to Katryn.

Katryn nodded and walked Hannah out of the room.

* * *

Back on _David's Star_, Hannah was groaning. "I can't believe you did that to me!" She complained. "I ought a _strangle_ you! You couldn't give me _some _warning?"

"Hannah, I didn't have a choice." Katryn told her friend. "You saw the shape he's in. If he's going to survive long enough to save, he's going to need more than that drunken amateur!"

"You noticed that too?"

"What the fact that he was drunk?" Katryn quipped. "Please! You can not only smell it on his breath, but it's obviously clouding his judgment, and that Acting Captain; I wanted to hit him over the head with a _hammer_!"

"He kind of reminded me of a wet blanket type." Hannah remarked, thoughtfully. "The kind who would rather be in a corner somewhere, clutching his blanket and sucking his thumb."

Katryn laughed. "Funny, that's what I thought of him, too."

The women laughed a little longer.

"So who knows the truth?" Hannah asked with a sigh, changing the subject.

"Horatio knows, and I believe Archie may know, too or he wouldn't have suggested a private room."

Hannah nodded, placing her laptop into her trunk with a couple computer batteries.

"Don't forget the 'tunes." Katryn reminded her, handing over Hannah's iPod.

Katryn watched as Hannah continued packing. The iPod was something newer to her. Hannah had helped Katryn program and set up her own iPod into her laptop back when she'd first arrived.

Katryn had always preferred her walkman and tapes. But the last time they'd gone back to their own time to re-supply, Katryn had discovered they had stopped making walkmans entirely and didn't even sell tapes anymore. This to her, was an outrage. So, with no other choice, Katryn had made the switch to an iPod. All her CD's were put into her computer, but a lot of her songs she only had on cassette, she'd had to re buy on CD or download off the internet. Overall, it had been a pain in the butt in Katryn's opinion. There were _still _songs that she'd had before on cassette, that were completely out of print and she had never been able to replace them.

Even so, after about three months, she'd filled the iPod to capacity, and had a whole load more of songs that were stored in her files that didn't fit on the iPod, yet, she kept to switch around as the mood struck her.

"You're not still upset about the lack of walkmans are you?" Hannah asked, looking up from her packing. She'd seen the look on Katryn's face as she'd watched Hannah put her iPod into a safe spot.

Katryn shrugged.

"Come on, it's easier to have like 1400 songs on one little tiny computer than it is to carry all those tapes." Hannah reminded her.

"Yeah, but one glitch and you lose them all, where as tapes can get run over by a car and all you have to do is tape them back together." Katryn complained.

"That's why you back up all your songs on CD or a memory stick." Hannah pointed out.

"I still liked my walkman."

Hannah shook her head. "That's my dear friend, Katryn. Going into the future, kicking and screaming the whole way."

Katryn gave a small smile. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"She couldn't _be_ any other way or she wouldn't be Katryn." Jesse interrupted from the doorway. "'Ratio says it's time to get going. We've got the medical stuff ready. I got everything you'll need to keep that injury clean and I added a few other things in the event of an emergency."

"I'm coming." Hannah replied, getting off her hammock, and zipping her bag shut. She then threw the bag into her wooden trunk and closed the lid.

"Don't worry." Katryn assured her, seeing some doubt in Hannah's dark eyes. "We're only a radio call away and these cheap walkie-talkies; for some freaky reason, work really well here. As long as we don't get too far apart, you should be able to get either me or Jesse in the event of something you can't control yourself."

Hannah nodded, watching Horatio and Matthews as they lifted her trunk for transportation to the other ship. "Don't drop that." She ordered Horatio. "If my laptop gets broken, I'll hunt you down and circumcise you."

Katryn started laughing. "And here I thought MY people were the ones who were into circumcisions." She quipped, watching Horatio blush at the thought.

Hannah, noticing it, grinned. "Special offer; half off." She went on, as if she were selling something.

"I think I'll pass on that offer." Horatio managed to reply. He knew all about circumcision jokes from his last stay here.

"Hannah." Katryn spoke up as the group was leaving the sick berth.

"Yeah." She responded, coming back.

"If you can do it without getting too many people noticing, get him on some O2." Katryn told her quietly. "He's already breathing shallow, but he needs the oxygen in his system. It'll help with the coughing."

Hannah nodded. "No worries." She assured Katryn. "I'll get a hold of you if he changes, and I'll keep the injury clean."

Katryn nodded, giving her friend a hug. "We'll pray for you."

Hannah gave sad smile. "Your friend needs it more than I do right now." She reminded her. "But I appreciate them too. I'm not so easy about being on a ship full of men who haven't seen a woman in God knows how long."

"That's why you're dressed as a man." Katryn reminded her. "Just make sure no one but the ones you trust find out the truth."

"Who do I trust?"

"Horatio, Archie, Styles and Matthews." Katryn told her. "You could probably trust that Lt. Bush too, but I don't really know him all that well. Definitely do NOT tell the Doctor or that idiot of an Acting Captain."

"Duh." Hannah quipped, as she walked off down the corridor, following the men who were carrying her supplies.

Katryn watched until she was gone, before saying a small prayer. "Please God watch over them all." She prayed, desperately. "And take care of Archie. If it's not too much to ask, I'd like to have something left to save."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER THREE**

_**November 1800**_

_**Well, here I am stuck here on this primitive mess of a ship with a bunch of cavemen, all thanks to my dear friend, Katryn. Okay, so it's not that bad. At least I have my own room (that used to be Archie's) and I can get undressed without anyone noticing anything. **_

_**I just don't like having to be a man all the time. I can't even answer the door without being dressed.**_

_**Archie, however, is doing better with me being here. I've been able to get Oxygen into him a couple of times now and his color looks better for it. I'm keeping him on Demerol and Morphine as Katryn told me, and the penicillin is a daily thing. The infection is fading fast. To Archie's credit, he's an incredible actor and Dr. Clive is not suspecting anything about him recovering. There's just one small problem. **_

_**I like him. I haven't been around him for more than couple days, but I like him. This is crazy, I guess. Somehow, he's made it worth the pretending and frustration. I look at his eyes and I forget I'm miserable here. I know what a lot of people would call it. The "Florence Nightingale" syndrome, all that about nurses and doctors falling in love with their patients. I don't know for sure if I'm in love with him, but I like him.**_

_**Another problem I'd not counted on is Mr. Hobbs. He is suspicious because he knew Katryn was a woman. Why she had to blow her cover like that. Well, I guess I understand that part. If Archie asked me to sing to him, I believe I would, too . . . but I guess that's for a different reason than she did. I mean seriously, she has Jesse, whom she loves very much, and Archie is merely a close friend; but that's not the current subject, is it?**_

_**I don't know how much longer I can keep my secret from this Hobbs guy. I don't have Katryn's gift of discernment, and I can't tell if he's trustworthy at all. She said she just looked into their eyes. When I tried that, he seemed to see more than I did, so I stopped doing it.**_

_**For whatever reason, he does not like Horatio or Archie. There's more to that argument, I know. I may ask Horatio in private later, but whenever I try to talk with him, there's always prying eyes, and if Horatio were to come into my room, Hobbs would only suspect more.**_

_**I don't know what to do. God, help me do what's right. I need your help and I'm not sure how to proceed on this.**_

_**I think I'll try to climb the fighting top and see if I can't get Katryn on the radio. I need some advice big-time. The height makes me dizzy, but it's the best place for a good line of sight signal. (How those radios work, I have no clue) Jesse said something about as long as they're within range of each other, they work fine. **_

_**So I guess we better not get too far away from ****David's Star****.**_

_**-Hannah White Eagle**_

* * *

Hannah looked up from her journal at the sound of knocking on her door. Closing the book and stuffing it under her pillow, she checked herself over to make sure everything looked normal and hurried to the door. "Who is it?"

"Styles, Mr. Nurse." Came the reply.

Hannah had told them to simply call her Nurse, since her last name was more than a mouthful for some to say.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she opened the door. "Yeah?"

"Mr. Hornblower's respects, sir." He answered. "Mr. Kennedy's 'aving terrible coughin' again."

Hannah grabbed her bag and followed after him, firmly closing the door behind her and locking it, with a small mechanism she had installed for her own privacy. As far as she knew, no one knew of it yet.

Down in the sick berth, she was greeted by Horatio, who was holding Archie's upper body up into an almost sitting position. Katryn had said he would breathe more easily sitting up. Archie was still coughing, and a trickle of blood was running down from the corner of his mouth.

"Is anyone looking?" Hannah asked Horatio in a whisper.

"No one who will talk."

Hannah nodded and pulled the clear mask from her bag. She placed it over Archie's head until it covered his mouth and nose, and adjusted the oxygen flow. "You know the drill." She told him, softly. "Breath as deep as you can."

"What exactly does this do?" Asked a voice nearby.

Frowning, Hannah turned to see another Officer in another hammock. A Lieutenant's topcoat hanging on the wall over his hammock gave his rank away. The Officer had dark curly hair, blue eyes and a concerned look on his face.

"This is Leftennant Bush." Horatio informed her. "He will not say anything."

Hannah nodded. "It's putting oxygen into his lungs." She explained. "He's not getting enough oxygen into his bloodstream, and it's causing the coughing and cyanosis . . . or pale blue coloring."

After a moment, Archie's breathing seemed steadier. Keeping the mask in place, Hannah motioned for Horatio to lay him back down. As soon as he was lying back, she pulled out her scissors and cut through the bandage to examine the wound itself.

Horatio's breath caught, as he stared in horror.

"The white stuff is just medicine." Hannah informed him. "It helps the pain." This was not entirely a lie. The Penicillin was stopping the infection and that_ was_ naturally making the pain lessen.

"Oh." Horatio managed, relaxing, slightly. "Will it help it get any better?"

"I'm not here to save his life, Mr. Hornblower." Hannah reminded him. "I'm here to keep him comfortable and maybe see that he stays alive long enough to get through the Inquiry."

"How bad is the damage?" Horatio asked, with a sigh. "Or can you tell?"

Hannah sighed. "The worst of it is his right lung." She informed him. "It's close to collapsing, and that's why he's coughing up blood. I may be able to re inflate the lung if I need to but you'd need Katryn to fully repair the damages. Even then, that's not all that's wrong. The liver is also damaged, and we're trying to hold off the effects of Septicemia, but it's not easy."

"What's that?" Archie managed to ask, muffled by the mask.

"Blood poisoning." Hannah replied, looking down. "It's what's killing you."

As Hannah was flushing out the gaping wound, Horatio was called away to his Watch shift. As the crew was short two Officers, and one Midshipman, shifts were longer and the affects of spending his free time with Archie were beginning to show on Horatio. He couldn't hide the dark circles that had formed below his eyes any longer.

"How much is he sleeping?" Hannah asked, looking toward Lt. Bush.

"He wasn't sleeping much _before_ this." Bush informed her, somberly. "The Captain had him on constant Watches as a form of punishment. Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Buckland and I were also told to report to him every hour, fully dressed, on every Watch, so none of us slept a great deal."

Hannah sighed and shook her head. She had not read the books, but Davey had told her things were very bad and the Officers were not sleeping much.

"You're his Superior Officer, aren't you?" She asked, after a beat.

Lt. Bush nodded.

"Can you order him to his cabin to sleep after his shift?" She questioned, as she slowly finished re-bandaging Kennedy's wound. "He's going to be useless if he doesn't get some rest."

"I suppose I could try, but as I am off duty, at the moment, my word may not be enough." Bush informed her.

"You can try to make Lt. Buckland do it." Archie spoke up, muffled by the mask.

"There's also that." Bush agreed.

Considering her options Hannah looked around. "Make sure no one's looking and let me know if someone walks in." She told Lt. Bush.

He nodded, watching not only the door to Dr. Clive's quarters, but the Nurse as well.

William had overheard the conversation between Kennedy and the Surgeon. He had not meant to, but he couldn't help it. He knew what they were doing, and he knew how important it was this Nurse not get caught giving Kennedy anything more than the medicine she'd called Morphine.

When he'd heard of Kennedy's future testimony, he'd completely agreed. If anyone deserved to be saved and taken away, it was Archie. He knew there was much in Kennedy's past that he did not know, but he _did_ know that the Surgeon who had come before seemed to know his friend very well. When she'd opened her mouth to sing, William couldn't help but listen to her. She had a beautiful voice, and it was clear she had sung to Kennedy before. He had turned his face away so neither of them could see the tears that the songs had brought to his eyes. More than anything right now, he wanted Archie to live.

For everything that man had done, for his loyalty to not only Horatio but young Wellard and even to Bush himself . . . yes, Archie deserved to live. Back when Archie had tried to prevent Wellard from being beaten a second time, William had agreed with him, but he was not ready to go against the Captain at that time. Although it had not helped the young Midshipman, Kennedy had at least tried.

When Bush had heard of Wellard's death, he'd been shocked. The boy had only been seventeen years of age. After all that he had been through, his fate was still to die. If only this ship; this _David's Star_ had come sooner. Perhaps they could have taken young Wellard too.

"Is there anything I can do for you, while I'm here?" The Nurse had turned to William.

Blinking, he frowned, unsure. His injury was painful, but not near as much as Kennedy's would be. "I am alright." He replied, after a moment.

"Don't let him fool you." Archie cut in. "He is in pain and could likely use something for it."

"I can give you something like Tylenol 3." The Nurse informed him. "Horatio took it back when he was on our ship. Its affects are not near as strong as Morphine. Can you swallow a capsule?"

William frowned, thinking.

"Take it." Archie ordered. "I'm tired of listening to you groan in pain."

Sighing, William nodded.

Mr. White Eagle handed him a small bottle, and a bottle of water. "One every four to six hours and let me know if you need something stronger."

The Lieutenant nodded. "Thank you." He replied, watching him walk out of the room with his bag.

He had left the mask and a metal canister with Archie, hidden under Archie's bed clothes. In case he needed it again.

"An interesting person that is." William responded, swallowing a capsule with the water.

"That she is." Archie remarked.

William frowned. "She?"

Archie's eyes widened, as he realized what he'd just said. The Morphine was definitely clouding his mind. "Please don't say anything about it." He pleaded, desperately. "I wasn't thinking."

"Don't worry." William assured him. "Actually, it explains a lot. They'll not hear anything from me."

Archie nodded, relieved. He would have to be more careful from here, after. It would not do to slip something so important where anyone could hear it.

"How exactly does that Morphine substance work?" William asked, curiously.

"It stops the pain, and sometimes causes slightly drunken behavior." Archie informed him, his head lolling.

Bush raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

"Also causes drowsiness." Archie murmured, blinking.

"So I see . . . but how are they going to make it look as if you've died?"

Archie's eyes snapped open and he eyed his superior officer.

"I overheard some of it." William explained. "Well, all of it actually."

"Hm." Archie responded, frowning. "I don't know." He confessed, answering the question. "Katryn once told me a human heart can be stopped for up to a half hour at least before the brain dies, but it cannot be deprived of oxygen near that long."

William's eyes widened. "How do they re start it then?"

Archie shrugged. "Something about electric shock." He answered, then realizing his friend wouldn't know what that was, he went on. "Like a weak lightning strike."

William blinked. "But how is that even possible?"

"These people are not like us." Archie whispered, slowly. "They are from another time."

"What other time?"

"About 200 years in the future, or so." Archie informed him, drowsily.

William frowned, taking this in. So this is what they had meant by telling Archie they would take him back with them. They had meant taking him to the future. How was that even possible? He turned to Archie to ask, but the injured man was already asleep from the effects of the drug in his system.

Two hundred years . . . That would put it about A.D. 2000. William himself could not even comprehend that far ahead, and yet the advanced methods they had been using to keep Kennedy alive he'd seen nothing like it. Somehow it made sense they would be from another time. Noticing Dr. Clive re entering the berth, William looked over at Archie's bed to make sure the metal canister was completely concealed by the covers. It was.

"Mr. Bush." Dr. Clive greeted. "How is he?"

William looked at Archie. "The medicine Mr. White Eagle has given him has put him to sleep."

Clive nodded. "At least he'll actually take that." He remarked, shaking his head.

"Mr. Hornblower told me Mr. Kennedy has a severe allergy to laudanum." William informed the old doctor. "Something about it causing hallucinations and seizures."

Clive stared. "And why did he not tell me this?"

"I'm not sure." William replied, with a shrug. Truthfully, he knew Horatio had _tried_ to tell Dr. Clive. The older doctor had simply ignored him.

"I see. I suppose Mr. White Eagle changed his bandage as well?"

"Yes, he did."

Clive nodded. "I still don't believe he will survive the trip to Kingston."

William nodded in agreement. "If he does, it will not be much longer after that." He replied, not saying what he already knew.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on _David's Star_, Conrad's condition was getting worse. He'd had a problem with the burns on his eye for several days now, and it was growing steadily worse. The entire optical nerve in his right eye was already destroyed by the explosion, so there was no question he'd lost the sight permanently. The debate was whether he would have to have the eye surgically removed or let it heal as it was.

Originally, Dave had chosen to keep what was left of his eye, and just wear an eye patch. Unfortunately, the infection had started and not even the antibiotics Katryn had kept him on were stopping it. She was going to have to surgically remove the entire eye.

Having Hannah on board the _Renown_ was going to be a small problem. Allyssa would have to assist in the surgery, and Jesse, due to the damages of his right hand, would have to play the part of a nurse . . . meanwhile, Willie would only be able to help with one hand as well due to his broken left arm.

Katryn was tempted to just call Hannah back for an hour or two, but she knew that if Hannah were not there with him, Dr. Clive might take it upon himself to "help" Kennedy. They could not risk the older doctor discovering that Kennedy's infection was in fact lesser serious than he'd thought it to be. No, they did not need that.

She would have to make do with the Medical Crew she had.

Katryn was in the process of figuring this problem out when Jesse interrupted her. He'd opened the door, holding out the two-way radio.

"Hannah needs to speak with you over the squawk box." He informed her.

Katryn sighed and grabbed the walkie talkie. "What's up? How's he doing?"

Hannah's fuzzy voice came over the box. "Better than expected." She replied. "I've got a problem."

"Of what kind?" Katryn asked, motioning for Jesse to leave.

"Well, did you see a guy named Hobbs when you were over here?"

Katryn frowned. "I'm not sure." She vaguely remembered a blond Midshipman talking with Horatio, who didn't seem happy about it.

"Well he's looking really suspicious and I'm not sure how trustworthy he is."

Katryn sighed. "Well, you may try talking with Archie or Horatio about him." She suggested. "They're bound to know better than I would."

"Actually I wanted to know if you'd read those books." Hannah remarked. "I thought maybe they might say something about him."

"Jack would know better than I would." Katryn informed her, and then she looked over at where Allyssa was doing sit-ups on the exercise mat. "Go get Cortez; Hannah needs to ask him something."

Allyssa nodded and ran out of the room.

"While we're waiting for that, how are the boys?" Hannah asked.

"I'm going to have to take Dave's eye out and we're short Medical people." Katryn explained to her friend. "I'm going to have Allyssa assist. The experience will be good for her. As for nurses, I'll have to have Jesse and Willie, each using one hand."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come back there?" Hannah asked, concerned.

"You're needed there, Hannah." Katryn reminded her. "We can't have that surgeon drunkard finding out Kennedy's infection is going away."

"Oh don't worry about that." Hannah reassured her. "I sprayed the bandage with something that will make it smell like he's still got an infection. I noticed Dr. Clive was going by the smell of the injury so I made it smell like an infection."

"Nothing that's going to contaminate the injury, I hope."

"What time yesterday do you think I was born, Kat?" Hannah returned, pointedly. "I wouldn't have done it if it weren't harmless to him."

"I was just checking." Katryn retorted, slyly. "Is he breathing any better than he was when I saw him last?"

"I don't know." Hannah answered, after a moment. "I've had him on oxygen several times now, and he's fine for a while, but then he starts coughing again. It'd be better if I could just intubate him or even leave the mask on 24/7, but if Clive sees it . . ." She trailed off.

Katryn chewed her lip. "Well the best thing for Archie is to do whatever is needed and forget about the others, but in this case, you should use your best judgment. You can always come up with something to tell the guy. He's probably too drunk to care anyway. If it were me, I'd keep the mask on him no matter what. Archie's not getting much air flow with the hole in his lung, so do what it takes to keep him breathing. As for the injury, use Saran wrap if you have to. It may keep the lung from collapsing."

"Saran wrap." Hannah murmured. "Didn't think of that. I don't think we have any here."

"Find a substitute." Katryn told her. "Anything that will seal that lung."

"I'll see what I can do."

Katryn looked up as Allyssa returned with Davey.

"Jacques is on duty." Davey informed her.

"Hannah needs to know about a guy named Hobbs." Katryn returned.

Davey frowned. "I know he was very loyal to the Captain, and he blamed the problems the Captain had on Hornblower, so they don't get along."

"Is he trustworthy?" Katryn asked.

"He's loyal to his country and refused to desert when he had the chance." Ratzlov told her. "Then when he found the bodies of the men who _did_ desert on the beach, he was very upset, and angry at Hornblower, who said they didn't have time to bury them, but as for how much you can trust him, I have no clue, but in my own opinion, I doubt he's going to tell Buckland anything if he were to find out."

"Somehow, this doesn't help me much." Hannah remarked over the radio.

"Ask Archie, is all I can think." Katryn repeated. "I can't tell you for sure without talking to him myself."

"Are you sure I don't need to come back and assist in the surgery on Conrad?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah, where there's a will, there's a way." Katryn replied. "Don't worry about it. I think we can get through it alright. I've operated with less people before."

"You know I can let the Acting Captain and Horatio know that I may need to leave for an hour or two. Seriously, I can leave the oxygen with Horatio, and if he can't be there, Mr. Bush can. He's in the next hammock over and he overheard you talking to Archie so he knows everything."

"I'll call you if I need you, but I think we can handle it. You just keep Archie alive and make sure I've got something left to save. If there's an emergency and you're not there, they _will_ let him die." Katryn told her seriously. "I left you there because what I saw was an injury that more than likely wouldn't last the trip to Kingston. Watch Archie like a hawk, and forget Hobbs. The second you see any change in his condition, call me."

"Got it boss. Over and out."

Hannah sighed. She missed her own ship, and her friends. She was tired of being a man and always on her guard. It was wearing her out . . . and yet, she could not abandon Archie. In her heart, as much as she tried to deny it, she had feelings for the young, injured Lieutenant with the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.

Of all the things she had been through in her life, all the times she swore she would never love again.

Involuntarily, she reached up to her neck, feeling for the chain. Slowly she pulled out the silver locket she could never part with. Inside, the small picture, opposite the tiny lock of jet black hair, looked up at her. As long as it had been, his face still brought tears to her eyes. She would have given anything for things to have been different.

Back when she had applied to this position, she had only done so to get away from the memories that haunted her. The pain she had faced. The hurt she still carried. When she had first been passed over for the other two nurses, Hannah had been devastated. Then she had been called back. Although the crew of the ship had been through almost three years, it had only been seven months in their own time.

Although the circumstances of her being called in weren't the best, Hannah had taken the chance to finally get away. And now. Now she knew God made things happen for a reason, so there was some reason she was here on this ship. Until she found out what it was, she would keep her disguise. Whatever her purpose, whether it was Archie or some other person on this ship who needed something, Hannah would not let God down.

Wiping the tear off her cheek, she closed the locket and tucked it back under her shirt, where it would always stay, close to her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

_This chapter contains some medical surgery. Obviously, as said before Archie wouldn't have survived the trip without some means of lifesaving surgery, so to make things more believable; this is how he lived through the trip to Kingston. (at least in my own version of the story)_

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**December 1800**

**Katryn's advice was not what I was hoping for. She and Davey both told me to ask Archie or Horatio or just use my best judgment. I need some help . . . God, I can't do this myself. **

**I can't seem to express what I'm feeling. Katryn said when she gets that way, when something inside gets packed in and needs to be let out, she sings. Here is not the place to sing, if I want to keep my cover. But I can write out what I cannot sing out loud.**

"**Wise man said, 'Just walk this way; to the Dawn of the Light.**

**The wind will blow into your face; as the years pass you by.**

**Hear this voice from deep inside. It's the call of your heart.**

**Close your eyes and you will find passage out of the dark.'**

**Here I am. Will you send me an Angel?**

**Here I am. In the land of the Morning Star.**

"**Wise man said, 'Just find your place; in the eye of the storm.**

**Seek the roses along the way. Just beware of the thorns.'**

**Here I am. Will you send me an Angel?**

**Here I am. In the land of the Morning Star.**

"**Wise man said, 'Just raise your head; and reach out for the spell.**

**Find the door to the Promised Land. Just believe in yourself,'**

**Hear this voice from deep inside. It's the call of your heart.**

**Close your eyes and you will find the way out of the dark.'**

"**Here I am. Will you send me an Angel?**

**Here I am. In the land of the Morning Star.**

**Here I am. Will you send me an Angel?**

**-Hannah White Eagle****. **(_Send me an Angel _by the Scorpions)

Hannah closed her eyes as she closed her journal. If only life were so simple that an Angel could step in and save the day. But in this place now, she had to _be_ the Angel . . .

With this thought, she put her journal back into her trunk, and locked it, before grabbing her medical supplies bag, and leaving the room, headed back to the sick berth.

* * *

Archie looked up as the nurse returned. His chest was starting to hurt again, sharper and more pronounced this time. The dressings over the wound were now dark red, where blood had seeped through. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, even with the mask. Fear had tightened in his chest and he knew that this was not normal. This was something serious.

She seemed to notice his predicament immediately, and as he could see from the look in her frightened eyes, his feeling had been correct.

"How long has he been this way?" She asked the fear showing in her voice.

"Not long." Bush assured her, watching the nurse help Archie to sit up.

Realizing he was drenched with sweat, Hannah quickly saturated a cloth with water from the bucket between the two hammocks, and placed it on his forehead. "Hold that a minute." She ordered, as she put on her gloves and removed his bandage. She could see the air escaping through the blood, bubbling up every time he breathed in and judging from the blood running from the corner of his mouth, his lung was going to collapse, and it was obvious he was in the early stages of Respiratory Failure. There had been too much bleeding from the injury. Too much blood in the injured lung.

Hannah bit her lip as she realized she was going to have to drain the blood and try to keep the lung from completely collapsing; a procedure she had never before performed on her own, and only assisted on once in her entire career.

Not meeting Kennedy's gaze, Hannah flagged down one of the loblolly boys. "Go get Mr. Hornblower _now!_" She ordered. "I'm going to need some help here."

"What is it?" Archie asked, breathless.

"Don't talk." Hannah commanded. "And keep that mask on, or I'll have to shove a breathing tube down your throat."

Archie stared at her, now very frightened. Was it as bad as that?

"You're losing air as fast as you're taking it in." She explained, a little softer. "I'm going to have to drain the blood in the lung or it's going to collapse completely. You just don't talk and concentrate on breathing through that mask."

Across from them, William was watching, his face pale. This was something he'd never even heard of being done.

When Hornblower showed up, Hannah explained the situation to Horatio as best she could.

"I think perhaps we may need Dr. Casse." Horatio spoke up, swallowing hard.

"Will." Hannah called out, not looking away from what she was doing.

"What can I do?" He asked, sitting up, as best as his own injury would allow.

"Pull the radio out of my pocket and pray we can get a signal down here." Hannah ordered. "Push down the red button and speak into the radio. Just say you need Katryn _**now**_."

William did as he was told and uncertainly he spoke into the little black box.

"This is Jesse, Kat's in surgery! Who the heck is this?" His static filled voice replied.

"Hold it over here and punch the button again." She told Bush, who complied. "I need some help, Jess! The lung is collapsing and I'm looking at Hypoexemic Respiratory Failure!"

"Oh boy, can it wait until I can get there?" Jesse responded, already sounding as he was packing a bag.

"Can't wait." Hannah returned. "He's losing air faster than he can take it in."

Jesse sighed. "Okay, he's gonna need a tube thoracostomy. You need to get iodine over the site, dump it on him, if you have to, pull out the sterile drapes on either side; and you may want to knock him out. Put him on IV while you're at it, I'm on my way over now. Once you get him out, intubate him." As he spoke, he was already on the move. Between his directions, they could hear him running and shooing people out of his way.

"Got that." Hannah replied, pulling a vial out of the bag. Fortunately Jesse had seen to it that Hannah's medical gear included a laryngoscope and the endotracheal tubing.

"Leaving the radio on the ship." Jesse announced. "I'll be there as fast as it takes to row that far."

"Copy." Hannah replied, motioning for Bush to put the radio back into her bag, as she tied a rubber band around Archie's upper arm.

"What on earth is going on here?"

Hannah and Horatio both groaned. Of all the times for Clive to come back. "Oh nothing, just keeping his ass alive for another couple days." She managed to remark, uncapping a needle with her teeth, as she felt for a vein in Archie's wrist, and swabbed it with alcohol.

Clive sighed. Hannah knew what he thought. He thought they should let the man die and stop drawing it out. But he didn't know they were planning to save him either.

As soon as the IV was in, and the tourniquet removed, Hannah injected the anesthetic. "Go to sleep and we'll take care of it." She assured Archie, who was now drenched in sweat and gasping for air.

Archie sighed and after a moment, his eyes closed.

"I'm going to need someone to bag him." Hannah informed the group around her, as she started the intubation process.

Horatio stared in shock, as the nurse forced a tube down his friend's throat. "It's in." She went on, hooking something that looked like a plastic bubble, and another oxygen tank.

Looking up at Dr. Clive, she motioned him over. "Count one, two, three, and squeeze, and don't stop."

"What exactly does it do?"

"Basically, you're breathing for him." She looked at Hornblower. "You! Get on a pair of gloves!"

In the minutes it had taken for them to accomplish this, they were interrupted with the arrival of Lt. Buckland, and a good portion of the crew, who had followed Jesse as he'd boarded the ship, carrying an EMS bag, and ran down to the sick berth, not stopping to explain anything. The only thing they could get out of him, were two distinct words. "Medical Emergency!" As he ran through the ship, pushing anyone in the corridors out of his way.

Those who had never met the mohawked Indian were staring in shock, as they made way for him.

Horatio looked up, relieved. He knew Jesse had worked in an Emergency Room so he was well prepared for any emergency. What concerned him was the fact that Jesse still had one bandaged hand. The scarring on the side of his friend's face surprised him slightly, but he remembered Jesse had been injured in the explosion.

Jesse took one look at Archie, then looked over at Hannah. "Respiratory Failure's not his only problem, I see." He spoke up, noting the bluish color of Archie's lips and around his eyes. Pulling out his stethoscope, he checked his friend's breathing. "We've got abnormal breathing sounds in both lungs; he's cyanotic and coughing up blood." He announced.

"Pulmonary embolism?" Hannah questioned. She had suspected and yet, she had been dreading it.

"More than likely. Help me get this on." He ordered Horatio, holding up a glove. "Hannah, you're going to have to be my left hand here and we've gotta move fast or we're going to have a respiratory arrest to deal with."

Hannah quickly moved to the other side, where Jesse needed her, letting him take over. "I was afraid of that."

On the other side of the room, the group was staring. "What did he just call him?" Buckland asked, quietly.

"I knew it." Hobbs murmured. "It seems Mr. Nurse has been deceiving us, as the Surgeon did."

"Belay that!" Horatio ordered, before he turned back to Jesse. "Exactly what is his condition again?"

Jesse sighed. "The bleeding from the lung injury is causing clotting in the lung. If we don't get the blood out, the lung will collapse and he'll go into cardiac arrest." He paused. "Meaning the heart will stop."

"Do you wanna give him heparin?" Hannah asked, uncertain.

"I'd like to avoid that for the moment." Jesse answered, shaking his head. "If we thin his blood he can bleed out through the wound itself. Let's just see how much blood we can drain from the lung first. If we can't stop the clotting; _then_ we'll thin the blood. Thirty-two french tube."

Hannah quickly pulled the packed tubing out of the bag.

"But what is the point to this?" Buckland questioned, as he watched the pair work just above the hole in Kennedy's lung. "The man is dying. Can you not just let him go?"

Without looking up. "This man is a witness to a crime." Hannah reminded them. "Where we come from, you try to keep the witness alive long enough to testify what he saw!"

"Nonsense." Buckland retorted. "Kennedy is not fit to stand up in a court marshal."

"Why don't you let him decide that?" Jesse returned, and then looked at Hannah. "Rib spreader."

On Jesse's left side, Hannah assisted him and together they inserted the chest tube into the open cavity.

Clive, still squeezing the bag, as he'd been told, could not believe what he was seeing. They had used the wound in Kennedy's chest to drain the lung of blood, and now it seemed they were patching the hole itself. His expectations of Kennedy's condition were beginning to change and he began to see a possibility that the young man _could_ actually survive this.

It was obvious they wanted him to give a testimony, but from the looks of things, this was more than just keeping him alive a little longer. If he didn't know better, he would say they were actually trying to save his life, rather than just prolonging it.

But for what reasons?

* * *

Katryn looked up as Jesse entered the sick berth, roughly an hour and a half later. "How is he?"

"We got a temporary fix." Jesse informed her. "He'll live to Kingston, but if you don't get in and repair the damages completely, he'll die in less than a month anyway. We bought him some time."

"That's all I need." Katryn replied. "We're a day or two from Kingston now. Did you leave the chest tube in?"

"Yeah." Jesse replied flopping into a chair. "Just in case he gets any more fluid buildup in the lung. I can take it out when they reach Kingston."

Katryn nodded. "Good move."

"Another problem, though."

"Yeah?"

"I blew Hannah's cover." Jesse confessed. "I used her first name during the surgery. They all know she's a woman."

Katryn sighed. "It's only another day." She answered, after a moment. "Kennedy will get through with the patch, and Hannah can come back tomorrow before they sail into port."

"So all we have to do is fake his death, and switch the bodies." Jesse put in, yawning. "How's Conrad?"

"He's fine." Katryn assured him. "Allyssa was better than she thought she was. She's going to be one good doctor someday."

"I'll bet she was glad to hear that." Jesse responded, with a smile.

"Oh yeah." Katryn answered, grinning. "She's thinking of going into Surgery. I told her I'll make sure she gets a recommendation from me."

"And she was even more glad to hear _that._"

Katryn shrugged. "I think she may just loosen up now."

Jesse looked impressed. "It's about time." He remarked. "That one definitely needs to learn to lighten up."

Katryn rolled her eyes. "She's a Medical Student, Jess. They're all like that." She pointed out. "I know I went through it."

Jesse shrugged. "I dunno." He retorted, thoughtful. "I was always told to take things more serious."

Katryn raised an eyebrow.

"I think it was the hair, mainly."

"Yeah, I can see how the doctors would take that." Katryn quipped.


	6. Chapter 6

Reminder warning as stated in the beginning of this story. One scene may trigger memories for anyone who has ever been assaulted before. To reassure those, this scene is brief and the would-be attacker greatly underestimated his target.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Archie groaned and opened his eyes. His throat hurt and his head was fuzzy. What had happened? He searched his memory for what was going on. He remembered he couldn't breathe, and he remembered the nurse being frantic and calling for Horatio to come quick, but there wasn't much after that.

"Archie?"

Turning his head, he saw the nurse, White Eagle sitting in a chair. She was not dressed as a man. She wore a loose fitting men's shirt over what he'd remembered Katryn had called a tank top. It was now very noticeable she was a woman. Why was she no longer hiding it?

"You look different."

Hannah gave a shrug. "Jesse blew my cover." She informed him, simply.

"Jesse was here?"

"Katryn was in surgery and I needed help."

Archie frowned. "Who was she doing surgery on?" No one had told _him_ anything of anyone hurt on _David's Star_.

"There was an explosion a month or so back." The nurse explained. "Jesse was injured with Conrad. He has burns on the side of his face and his left hand is still in bandages. Conrad took it across the face, and his eye got burned. Katryn had been watching it, and told me yesterday she would have to take it out entirely if the infection got worse."

Archie frowned, taking this in.

"Also Jesus Martinez, George Johnson and Petur Jakov were killed."

At the names, Archie's blue eyes filled. "Jesus is gone?"

She nodded. "I was his replacement."

Archie was quiet, as he considered this. "I don't even know your name." He remarked, slowly. "All I ever heard was Nurse White Eagle."

She gave a small smile. "Hannah."

"Hannah . . ." He repeated, to himself. He liked it. Hannah White Eagle. "Am I alright, Hannah?"

"We were able to patch the lung for the moment, although you'll notice when your head clears that Jesse left in the chest tube." She told him.

Archie frowned, confused.

"We used a tube to drain the blood out of the lung." Hannah explained. "Jesse left it in just in case you had any more bleeding problems."

Curious, Archie looked down under the blanket. Sure enough, there was a tube stuck through the bandaging.

"You should be breathing easier now though."

He nodded. That he was. "My throat hurts."

"I had to stick a tube down your throat for the surgery." Hannah replied. "We got it out before you woke up. Jesse said it might 'seriously freak him out.'"

Archie gave a half smile. Jesse had gotten to know him well. Frowning, as his eyes focused more, something shiny caught his attention. A locket around her neck. It was opened. The face of a tiny baby stared out from a small picture.

Hannah, noticing him staring, looked down, and quickly closed the locket, tucking it back under her shirt.

"Is it yours?" He asked, softly.

Hannah did not meet his gaze. "He was. Yes."

"I'm sorry." Archie spoke up, quickly. "I did not mean to pry."

Hannah nodded. "He died when he was eight months old."

"And his father?"

"I'd rather not talk about that."

Archie nodded. "I'm sorry." He repeated, looking away.

"It's not your fault." She replied, looking away. "I should probably get some sleep now."

Archie mentally kicked himself as he watched her get up and leave the room. He'd seen the sadness behind her eyes. This was something she was in great pain over. Why, he did not know . . . but something else in her face had caught his attention. Something he knew all too well. Suddenly, he wanted to know everything about this woman.

Hannah . . . such an ordinary name, and yet, he loved it. Perhaps when this was all over, they could spend a bit more time talking. Of one thing he was sure, something about her seemed to draw him to her. Whatever it was, he had somehow fixed in mind that this woman cared about him. She wanted him to live.

Archie watched after her some more. Yes, he decided. If for nothing else; he would live for her.

* * *

Hannah fled the sick berth, not caring where she was going. She had to lie down. Her head was pounding and the memories of her past she had tried so hard to squash down would not leave her alone. If she could just sleep . . . her mind would forget . . . for a while at least.

In the dark, a pair of unseen hands grabbed her and a hand was clamped over her mouth. By instinct, Hannah bit down hard, and drove her elbow backward into the man's ribs.

"Ah, ye wanna play _that_ way, do ye?" A low voice whispered, as a knife came to her throat. "One sound and I'll slit ye ear ta ear."

Hannah's eyes narrowed. No. This was not going to happen again. She had sworn _never_ again. This man could kill her for all she cared, but he was _not_ taking anything from her. Adrenaline surged through her veins as she slammed her heel down on her attacker's foot with all her weight, then, ripping the knife away, she gave primal scream, as she spun around driving her knee into his groin.

The knife in her fist clattered to the deck as Hannah was again grabbed from behind.

Shrieking, she drove her elbow into the ribs of the new attacker, and heard a groan, and she recognized Horatio's voice. "Stop, it's me." He managed to get out.

As soon as Hannah stopped moving, Horatio let her go, kicked the knife away, and forcibly yanked the man from the deck, where he was groaning in pain. "Put this man in irons!" He ordered, glaring in disgust, as he shoved the man toward Matthews.

Hannah stood still, staring at the knife on the floor in total shock. The adrenaline in her system leaving, her vision blurred and she felt herself falling. Then, there was only sleep.

* * *

It was Acting Lieutenant Hobbs who caught her when she fell. He'd seen what was happening and had moved to jump in, but Hornblower had beaten him to it.

Horatio spun around when he heard Hobbs' shout of surprise. "We need to get her back to the sick berth." He ordered.

Hobbs didn't move except to look from the woman in his arms to Horatio. "I think she needs to go back to her own sick berth, sir." He replied, quietly.

Horatio frowned, and realized Hobbs was right. After what had happened, Hannah needed to go back to her own ship. "Take her in the jollyboat." He ordered. "I'll see that her effects follow."

Hobbs nodded and carried the nurse up the stairs, headed for the first available boat. "Signal _David's Star_!" He ordered the men. "Tell 'em their nurse needs medical attention and we're on our way to their ship."

* * *

By the time Hannah woke up, she was back on _David's Star_, in her own hammock. Beside her, Katryn sat, watching. The memories of what had happened came back and a tear escaped at the corner of her eye. What followed was a torrent, as she felt Katryn's arms around her. The two friends remained this way for what seemed like hours, and yet, was only a few minutes.

* * *

In the _Renown's_ sick berth, Kennedy and Bush had heard the scream. A scream unlike any they had ever heard before. There were no words, only the rough sound of emotion and desperation. The two of them had almost jumped out of their skin.

"Oh God, no." Archie whispered. What had he done?

* * *

As Hannah finally got control over herself, Katryn passed her a box of tissues.

"Not that it helps much now, but I've got an answer to your question on Mr. Hobbs." Katryn informed her.

"And?"

"Definitely trustworthy." Katryn replied. "He was the one who brought you in. I got a good look at him then. He doesn't trust others easily, but he himself is trustworthy."

Hannah shrugged. "Good to know, I suppose." She responded. "What are we going to do about Archie?"

"I think he'll be okay for the small amount of time they have until they reach Kingston." Katryn told her. "You did a good job."

"He saw my locket."

"Archie?"

"Yeah."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him he died when he was eight months old."

"That's it?"

"I just couldn't say anything else." Hannah stated, shaking her head.

"You underestimate him." Katryn informed her. "I know this man and you haven't read his medical records yet."

"It's not that I don't trust him." Hannah corrected. "I just wasn't ready."

Katryn nodded. "You need to get some rest." She ordered her friend. "It's been a long day. I'll be back after a while."

"Leave it be." Hannah warned her, as Katryn disappeared through the door.

Hannah closed her eyes. She knew where Katryn was going, and yet she knew better than to stop her.

* * *

Out in the main sick berth, Jesse could not be consoled. It had been his fault. If he had not called her by her real name, she would have been fine. In his own room, he lay down on the bed and sighed. He stayed that way, facing the wall until he fell asleep.

* * *

"What happened?" Archie demanded, as Horatio entered the sick berth over an hour later. They had ended up having to literally break down the door to Archie's quarters to get to Hannah's effects. It was later that Horatio had discovered the locking mechanism only Hannah could have installed near the top of the door, worked into the doorframe itself.

"You heard?" Horatio asked, stalling.

"The entire ship must have heard that scream." Archie remarked, forcefully. "Now tell me what happened!"

"Miss White Eagle has gone back to her own ship."

Archie sat up, annoyed. "Don't avoid the question." He demanded.

Horatio sighed. "Seaman Robins attacked her." He finally answered. "But I suspect he may have received a lot more than he was bargaining for."

Archie's gaze shifted to the blankets that covered him. "I've never heard anything like that scream." He finally whispered.

Horatio nodded, shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief. "I pulled her away." He finally replied. "But the way she responded suggested that Robins may have been in more danger than she was. She reacted to the attack like a wild animal cornered."

"Are you suggesting she would have tried to kill him?" Bush questioned, astonished.

Horatio looked from Bush to Kennedy, and nodded. "I believe that if I had not stopped her, she _would_ have killed him. I saw her rip a knife from her throat and twist around so fast, she may have very well stabbed him, had I not pulled her back. As it was she drove her elbow back into me so hard, she may have actually bruised a rib or two."

Archie, sitting silent, continued to stare at his lap. What could have happened to Hannah to make her so upset at one moment, and then react like a wild animal the next? Sighing, he realized what it was he had seen in her face before she had left the sick berth, earlier. He had seen himself.

'_I don't want to talk about that.'_ Archie closed his eyes.

"Archie, what is it?"

Archie blinked. Now was not the time. "Nothing." He replied quickly. "Just a bit lightheaded."

Horatio pushed him gently to lay him back down. "You should be resting." He responded. "Dr. Davidson said they have patched the lung, but it's still only a temporary respite. We're only a day from Kingston, if this wind stays with us. If you remain resting, there should be no further problems."

* * *

"Take me over there." Katryn ordered Brandon.

"Captain said to leave it be." Brandon informed her. "He said that the man's crime, according to the Articles of War, is punishable by death. He said to let them take care of it."

"I'm not following orders from Captain Richards." Katryn confessed. "He's been superseded, and I have to go."

Suddenly catching her meaning, Brandon nodded. "Let's go."

"Yer gonna get in trouble." Duane remarked, shrugging.

Brandon eyed his friend. "Can't disobey a direct order from the _real_ Captain, and Russ knows it."

Duane nodded. He could not argue with this. He knew well, this was officially a study trip, but it was also a Missions trip . . . and if God had given an order, not even Russ could stop it. "I'll let him know."

Brandon nodded, and followed Katryn down the side of the ship. In his own heart, he knew Katryn was not joking or making up something. There was a look she got in her eyes. Something that was put inside her, and when that happened, KC would not rest or stop until the order from above had been carried out.

* * *

Above, Captain Richards saw the boat, and came running out his door to call them back. He was stopped by Duane.

"She said she had to go and she was on orders from Someone whose authority is greater than yours." The cowboy explained. "And you know when Katryn says that, she doesn't go through with it unless she's positive."

Sighing, Richards nodded. He knew well. "Then we must trust she will not act on her own emotions."

"I don't think she can." Duane answered, distantly. "I don't think He'll let her."

* * *

Aboard the _Renown_, Hobbs stared over the side. A boat was approaching, and there had been no signal. "Sir." He called, motioning Lt. Buckland over. "It's their Surgeon."

Frowning Buckland looked down. "Get Hornblower up here." He ordered, remembering the temper of the female surgeon before. There was only one possible reason for her coming alone so soon after the nurse's return to _David's Star._

Leaning down, Buckland assisted the man he knew as Mr. Jefferies in climbing aboard, and then the both of them reached down to help the surgeon up. She had made no effort to disguise her gender this time. Her hair was down, and although her shirt was modestly covering everything, it was plain to see she was a woman.

Not meeting anyone's eyes, she said only one thing. "Take me to him."

"Mr. Kennedy?" Buckland inquired, hoping desperately she had only come to see her friend.

This time she looked him dead in the eye. "No." Came the answer. "Take me to _him._"

There was no mistaking her meaning this time. Relieved, Buckland looked up seeing Hornblower coming out on deck.

"She needs to see your prisoner, who attacked Hannah." Mr. Jefferies informed Horatio. "Now."

Horatio sighed. "I really don't think that is a good ide—"

Brandon cut him off. "_Now._" He ordered, pulling Hornblower closer. "Look at her _face_! We were told to leave it be; by our own Captain, too, but the orders we're going on now are not his."

Frowning, Horatio stared at Katryn's almost blank stare and set features. He'd seen it before. "Mr. Matthews, take them to the brig." He commanded, swallowing.

"Not me." Brandon corrected. "Her. Alone."

"That we cannot allow." Buckland protested.

"Look, call it what you want, whether it's the Last Rites for a condemned man, or whatever you frickin' wanna call it, but she needs to see him _now!_" Brandon spat out.

Buckland frowned. He had not realized the surgeon was some kind of priest. He said nothing as the Boson led the woman below decks. Mr. Jefferies had followed, mentioning he would wait for her in the sick berth.

"Mr. Hornblower, what exactly is this?" He asked, pointedly.

"I know no more than you do, sir, as to why she's here now." Horatio replied, shrugging. "But I have seen her behave this way before. Things she knows about people, things she says she is told to tell them. If Dr. Casse has said that God sent her here tonight, and her own Captain has done nothing to stop her, what place do we have to forbid it?"

"What exactly have you seen before that makes you so convinced she was sent by God?"

"I was on Watch on their ship, back when Mr. Kennedy broke his leg." He began. "I saw her come out on deck, with her eyes closed. I'd thought she was sleepwalking. I called to her, yet she did not respond. When she stopped, she was outside the door of a room belonging to three of her shipmates. When she knocked, one of them, Lt. Conrad opened the door, saying he had prayed she would come, because the other man in the room, Lt. Redbird was very ill and may have died, had she not come."

Buckland stared.

"She said God had told her something was wrong, and she had gotten up to find out what." Horatio went on. "She had blindly followed where He sent her."

"You're sure of this?"

"I saw the look on her face." Horatio informed him. "It was the same now, as it was then. I know it sounds strange, but I've since learned that there are certain things about her that cannot be explained any other way."

* * *

On the way to the brig, Brandon had separated, headed for the sick berth. If he was going to be here, he may as well visit his injured friend. He knew that Styles, by orders, had been sent to the sick berth, due to the severity of his injuries, and he was interested in seeing Archie as well.

In the brig, Matthews lead Katryn to the cell of the man who had attacked Hannah. He was in chains.

"Leave me."

Matthews nodded and backed out, closing the door behind her.

The man stared at her, uncertain. He knew who she was, and he had a feeling as to why she was here, but something in her face kept him silent.

When she finally opened her mouth, it was not what he'd expected to hear.

"I always hoped the past could be put to rest." She finally spoke up. "But it can't, can it?"

He frowned. What was she talking about?

"And yet as I was angry before, I'm not anymore." She went on. "Because I now see you as God has seen you."

Not giving him a chance to protest, she continued. "I see a small boy, huddled in a corner, curled into as tight a ball as he can make himself. A boy so tortured and hurt, by the terrors around him that he lashes out at anyone who would dare to come near. He lets no one in, and his corner is all he knows."

The man's fists inside the chains curled up tighter and his teeth ground.

"When I see that boy, the anger leaves me, and I pity him."

"He doesn't need your pity!" The man snapped.

"No, he needs the Love of a Savior."

"There is no such thing."

Unblinking, Katryn did nothing to stop the tears slipping down her cheeks.

"But there is."

The man, not impressed, spat at her. "Where was that Savior seven years ago?"

Katryn closed her eyes and opened them, meeting his stare. "The same place He is now." She told him. "Right beside you, waiting for you to reach out to Him. Through the pain, through the shame, He has always been right there."

"And why did He not stop it?"

"He doesn't promise there will be no pain. Only that He will be there to hold you through it. Why things like this happen, I can't say exactly, because I don't know. All God has promised is that you are never alone. No matter what happens, whether for good . . . or bad; He is _still_ there."

"And what would _you_ know about it anyway?" He demanded. "Have you ever had any pain in your perfect life?"

She did not answer right away, and he'd all but decided he was right . . . until she opened her mouth; and as she began to speak, what came out was not what she had intended to say. Instead it was the words to a song she had come to love over the last year. Something Hannah had played for her. The words; describing both their lives, just as it did the life of the man who now sat chained before her.

"_Dreaming comes so easily; cause it's all that I've known_

_True Love is a Fairy tale. I'm damaged, how would I know?_

_I'm scared; and I'm alone. I'm ashamed and I need for you to know. . ._

_I didn't say all the things that I wanted to say,_

_I can't take back what you've taken away,_

_Cause I feel you; I feel you near me. _

_"Healing comes so painfully; and it chills to the bone._

_Will anyone get close to me?_

_See, I'm damaged, as I'm sure you know._

_Oh I'm scared, and I'm alone._

_I'm ashamed, and I need for you to know. . ._

_I didn't say all the things that I wanted to say,_

_I can't take back what you've taken away,_

_Cause I feel you; I feel you near me. _

_"This mending for my soul; an ending to this fear;_

_Forgiveness for a man who was stronger;_

_Cause I was just a little girl, and I can't go back._

_I didn't say all the things that I wanted to say,_

_I can't take back what you've taken away,_

_Cause I feel you; I feel you near me. _

_I can't go back, I can't go back; no I can't go back._

"_There is healing . . ._

_There is peace . . . _

_There is freedom . . . from fear._

_And He will Love you . . . like no one's loved you;_

_And you will never be Afraid. _

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah . . . Hallelujah to His Name._

"_We are His Children. How much He loves you._

_And He will never leave you alone. . ." _(_Damaged –redemption extended version-_ By Plumb)

* * *

In the sick berth which was not that far from the brig, the group overheard the voice, as Katryn had switched from merely reciting to actually singing the song. Horatio, who had come below eventually, stared at Archie, who did not in the least bit seem surprised at the words. Remembering what he'd thought of the conversations between Katryn and Archie, three years earlier, he realized he'd been correct in assuming she and Archie had a lot in common.

Roughly fifteen minutes of listening to nothing but total silence, after she'd finished the song, Katryn entered the sick berth. "We'd better get going, Brandon."

Archie looked disappointed. She was leaving so soon? "Will you not stay a little longer?" He asked.

"We arrive in Kingston tomorrow, Archie." She told him, pointedly. "Originally, we weren't supposed to be here now."

"But since you are, might you stay longer?"

"I have to get back and check on Hannah, and Jesse's not much better." She informed him. "He's blaming himself for blowing her cover."

Sighing, Archie nodded. He could understand this. "Is Hannah alright?" He asked, so quietly, she could hardly hear him.

Katryn nodded. "She'll be okay after she gets some sleep."

Archie nodded again and licked his lips before continuing. "Will you visit after we've docked?"

"As long as they let us in to." She replied. "And Jesse will be over to remove the chest tube before you're transferred off the ship."

Satisfied, Archie gave her a half smile and laid back once again.

* * *

After they were back in their own boat, headed back to _David's Star_, Brandon finally broke the silence. "Is he alright?"

Katryn closed her eyes, knowing he did not mean Archie. "I think he will be fine now." She replied.

Brandon nodded. "Then the trip was worth it."

"Yes." Katryn answered, after a moment. "More than worth it."

* * *

Upon her return to their own ship, Katryn, not speaking to anyone, retired to the sick berth. But instead of returning to her own room, she went to Jesse's. He was asleep. Closing the door, she laid down on the bed beside her fiancée, and, wrapping her arms around him, she finally fell asleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: As you can see, I've uploaded both chapters 4 and 5 on the same day to make up for the shortness of the fourth chapter. If you're also following the Very _Unfair and Messed up Duel, _I started work on the next chapter several days ago, but with the Christmas work and baking, I'm afraid it's not near completed. I have, however located the right DVD as I'm watching it while doing the story. (I was watching the 4__th__ one for some screencaps and as I'm also writing the Third David's Star story which will include "My Lord" Major Edrington, I wanted to get another look at the character to portray him better) So I had to locate the first DVD and switch them._

_Oops, did I just leak something there? Just giving you something to look forward to, I guess. For the record, the 3__rd__ story will also include several other memorable people from the first 6 movies and a couple surprises. So for a short teaser preview, think of your favorite Hornblower Characters, bring them forward 200 + years and then put them on an airplane. And that's all I'm saying, except that the third installment of the story will be out in faster time than the second one took. -Cassi_


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Kingston, Jamaica: January 3, 1801**

Commodore Sir Edward Pellew sighed as he left Hornblower's cell. The boy would still tell him nothing of how the Captain had fallen into the hold. It hurt that he could tell the young man nothing of the plot he was already involved in. He would tell him later.

The inquiries had been going on for several days now. Hornblower was only allowed out of his cell when he was in court or when he was allowed to see the men in the hospital cells.

Kennedy and Bush had been put in a cell by themselves. Styles was deemed well enough to be involved in the inquiries. He was not allowed to lift anything or exert himself too much, but he was none the less allowed to be up and walking.

Under the Commodore's orders, the crew of _David's Star_ had been allowed to visit the hospital cell where the Lieutenants were being kept. Dr. Casse, Miss White Eagle, and Dr. Davidson had been frequent visitors. Katryn was frequently heard singing to the men, accompanied by Hannah. Together, the two were quite good, and it seemed to not only improve the Lieutenants' disposition, but all the men in the nearby cells.

Dr. Clive declared it as a better medicine than he himself could provide. He therefore encouraged such visits.

Pellew gave a small smile at the genius of it. Because they were frequently in the general area, no one would suspect they were actually planning on spiriting one of the prisoners away. They had not told him how they were going to make it look as if Kennedy was dead, but then he'd decided he didn't really care how they did it, as long as they achieved their purpose.

The Commodore walked through the corridors of the prison holding area, acknowledging the various men that saluted him. As he neared the hospital area, he heard the familiar voices singing. He paused, hearing the current song. It appeared they were telling a story through their singing.

Pellew stopped, just out of sight, listening to the words.

"_She walked to the mailbox on that bright summer's day. _

_She found a letter from her son in a war far away._

_He spoke of the weather and good friends that he'd made._

_It said, 'I've been thinking about Dad and the life that he had, _

_And that's why I'm here today.' _

_And then at the end, said; 'You are what I'm fighting for.'_

_It was the first of his letters from war._

_She started writing, 'You're good; and you're brave._

_What a father that you'll be someday. _

_Make it home. Make it safe.' She wrote every night as she prayed._

"_And late in December, a day she'll not forget. _

_All her tears stained the paper, with every word that she read._

_It said, 'I was a goner and I was out there alone, _

_When the shots all rang out and bombs were exploding._

_That's when I saw him. He came back for me. _

_Though he was captured, a man set me free._

_And that man was your son. He asked me to write to you._

_I told him I would, oh I swore.'_

_It was the last of the letters from war._

_And she prayed he was living, she kept on believing,_

_And wrote every night just to say, 'you are good, and you're brave._

_What a father that you'll be someday._

_Make it home. Make it safe.'_

_She wrote every night as she prayed._

"_And then two years later, autumn leaves all around._

_A car pulled in the driveway, and she fell to the ground._

_And out stepped a Captain, where her boy used to stand._

_He said, 'Mom, I'm following orders, from all of your letters, _

_And I've come home again.'_

_He ran in to hold her, and dropped all his bags on the floor;_

_Holding all of her letters from war._

_Bring him home . . . bring him home . . . _

_Bring him home." _(_Letters From War_ By Mark Schultz)

The men in the hospital area, nearly all of them being Navy men who had been fighting in a war themselves, broke into applause, cheering.

In his place out of sight, Pellew's face shone in a smile. Knowing a few men who had indeed been captured by the enemy, as he himself once was when he was young, he found this song remarkably touching. After a moment, he turned and walked away. He would visit the men later, he decided.

For the moment, they were getting everything they needed.

Later that night, as Archie watched Horatio leave the cell he and William shared, he sighed. "It has to be tomorrow morning." He stated, quietly. "If I don't get there before he does, he'll take the blame himself."

William nodded. "Let's hope your friends are set up on their end." He responded.

* * *

Early the next morning, Major Lance Hendricks stood outside the courthouse, just out of sight of anyone inside or outside.

"I alone pushed Captain Sawyer into the hold!"

When the courtroom burst into loud shouting, Hendricks looked back at his friend, Captain Julius Miklos. "This is it. Tell them the mission is a go."

Miklos nodded and turned back to relay the order to the Medical Team and the Marines who were assisting with the transfer. A dummy of the right height and weight had been sewn into a canvas. They would switch this with Archie.

Seeing Lieutenant Hornblower rushing toward the courthouse as fast as he could, Hendricks ducked back quickly, to avoid being seen. He was dressed as a regular British Marine in a red uniform, but Horatio would easily be able to recognize him if he saw him.

As soon as the Lieutenant had gone inside, Hendricks returned to his position.

Lance waited until he saw the Marines leading Archie out of the courtroom. Taking his aim, carefully, he fired the almost invisible dart. It hit Kennedy in the neck. The drug in the dart would take roughly about ten to fifteen minutes to take effect. It would almost literally stop Archie's heart, putting him into a state of cardiac arrest.

Once Archie stopped breathing, they would have less than ten minutes at the very longest to get Kennedy out of his cell, switch him with the decoy body, and shock his heart back into beating. He would then be quickly transferred back to their ship, straight to the already prepared O.R. where Katryn would be ready to go to work.

The bandages had finally been removed from Jesse's hand and he was now able to use it again. He and Hannah would do the work in the prison after the switch, while Katryn would be waiting with Allyssa on the ship.

Two of their own Marines, like Hendricks, were disguised as guards, with their red uniform coats. They would be responsible for removing Kennedy from the cell. Commodore Pellew had already seen to that. He would make sure the two Marines made the switch and had an area off to the side; still inside the prison where Jesse and Hannah were waiting.

After the commotion had died down, they would remove the real Kennedy from the jail and smuggle him to the ship.

At least that was their plan.

Archie, allowing the Marines to lead him from the courtroom, had felt the prick in his neck. He'd reached up to grab the dart, and quickly stuffed it into his uniform pocket. As the drug entered his system, he knew there was not much time left.

Once back into the cot he'd been laying on for the past few days, he knew he would have to make whatever he said to Horatio short. The pain in his chest had completely faded and he could feel his body shutting down. What had they _given_ him?

Outside the cell, only Pellew overheard the two men saying their goodbyes. He heard when Kennedy stopped breathing. Quickly, he motioned for the Marines to come get the body.

Horatio did not move as the men took his friend away. He continued to sit that way, staring at nothing for some time. When Pellew returned, after having seen to Kennedy's transfer, the young Lieutenant had still not moved.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"Clear!" Jesse warned, and Hannah quickly pulled her hands back.

Jesse placed the paddles on Archie's chest and squeezed.

The body jumped with the charge, and Hannah checked for a pulse.

"Sinus Tach." She announced, looking relieved.

Jesse nodded, dropping the paddles back into the bag, and then looked up at the Commodore and Dr. Sebastian, who looked rather shocked at what they had just seen done. "He's back." He told them with a relieved sigh. "I'm going to need to intubate before transfer though, or he won't be stable enough. We've broken through the patch on the lung."

"Intubation kit." Hannah responded, passing Jesse the laryngoscope and tube.

"You gonna bag him?" Jesse asked Hannah, as he worked the tube down Kennedy's throat.

Hannah nodded. "No problem."

"Once we get this done, we've gotta move him back to the ship." Jesse informed the other two parties in the room.

"They've taken the decoy out to an unmarked grave." Pellew returned. "It's darker now, so you shouldn't have any trouble. Cover him like a dead body and they'll let you through without checking."

Jesse nodded. "He'll need an IV, another chest tube, more than likely a blood transfusion and possibly a Central Line, but that can be done when he gets to surgery. Let's move."

"I assume you're also going to get him on a vent as well?" Hannah put in as she pulled the bag away from the tube in Archie's throat long enough for them to cover his face and get him past the marine guards.

"One thing at a time," Jesse replied; "but yeah, that's a given."

"If you don't mind, sir, I'll accompany Mr. Kennedy." Dr. Sebastian informed his Commodore as soon as they were clear of the prison area.

"I had a feeling you would." Pellew replied. "Now, I believe I have to see to Leftennant Hornblower."

"Don't mention Archie until we're sure he's going to live." Jesse warned. "Kat said he's got a half a chance without the infection. Half is better than none, but it's still not a hundred percent positive.

Pellew nodded and turned back toward the prison enclosure, not looking back as the group quietly made off with the covered body; and, keeping to the shadows, smuggled it to a waiting boat.

* * *

On the newly renamed _Retribution_, Horatio was seated at the table in his new quarters. He had been promoted to a position that was almost the equivalent of a Captain, and yet he still did not think he deserved it. He should be proud and honored to have such a position, but the very fact that it had come at his best friend's expense would not allow him to enjoy it.

Horatio's closest friend in the world; the man who was truly the brother he had never had, had given up his life and his reputation to save Horatio from a hanging. Archie would be written into History as a traitor to his King and country, because of Horatio. It wasn't right.

On top of all that, Horatio didn't particularly think he was worthy of such a sacrifice.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Come." He called out.

"Will." Horatio responded, as his First Lieutenant entered the room.

Bush nodded in a greeting. "I somehow feel as though I've taken what should be Mr. Kennedy's place." He managed to get out.

Horatio gave a partial nod. "Poor Archie." He remarked quietly. "It doesn't seem right, does it?"

"No sir."

"But I'm sure you must have another reason for coming here." Horatio responded, changing the subject.

"It's really not my place to tell you what to do." Bush answered, trying to figure out how to say what he needed to say.

"What is it you're asking?"

"I believe we left several of our men on an island, laying dead." He finally replied. "I think we owe it to them to go back and give them a proper burial before we return to England."

Horatio frowned. "Those men were deserters."

"They were still men." William protested. "And I believe there are a few amongst the crew who would prefer to bury our dead."

"You mean Hobbs." Horatio stated, pointedly.

"No sir, there are others." He corrected. "Myself included."

Horatio sighed.

"Mr. Kennedy once spoke to me of a young man who was thrown overboard by the Captain's command, and he told me of the protests of the crew who had to carry that order out." William reminded him. "We owe it to the men to go back for them."

Horatio looked down at his desk. Will was right. The men may have been deserters, but many more had died honorably, and had not been given the burial they had deserved, Archie included. Had Kennedy lived, he too would be telling Horatio the very same thing. They owed it to the men to give them a proper burial.

Finally he looked up, meeting his friend's gaze. "Very well." He replied. "Set the course, and pass the word for Hobbs to come up here."

Bush nodded, and left the room.

As he informed Matthews of the change of course and passed on the word for Hobbs to see the Captain, William sighed. Before the ship had set sail, the First Officer of _David's Star, _David Ratzlov, had pulled him aside. He had told Will the switch had been made but they did not know if Kennedy would survive the injuries, given the seriousness of the wound and the time that had lapsed before he could be properly seen to. Davey had then asked Will to stall the _Retribution's_ return to England. The suggestion of burying their dead had been a natural idea. There was no telling how long it would take to know if Kennedy was going to live or not, but either way, William wanted to know. He would stall the ship as long as he could to give _David's Star_ the chance to catch up with them.

They had told him to look to the Southwest within nine days. Somehow, the ship would find them. The main concern Will had was how long it would take before Horatio caught onto him. He did not want to reveal anything regarding Archie's rescue, but if he was caught stalling their return, he would have to explain himself.

* * *

On board _David's Star_, the mood was tense. The portion of the crew that wasn't on duty was standing in the sick berth or seated in various chairs, the Captain included. Most of them were praying, a good portion of them on their knees in front of their chairs. Others were just listening, not able to make out much of what was being said over the praying of their shipmates, the various alarm devices that kept going off and Katryn and Jesse's frantic orders.

* * *

"You sent for me, sir?" Hobbs asked as he entered Horatio's quarters.

"Have a seat, Mr. Hobbs." Horatio responded, absently.

Eyeing his new Captain suspiciously, Hobbs sat down in the chair indicated.

"I'd like to propose a truce." Horatio finally spoke up, looking the Acting Lieutenant in the eye. "I know we've had our disagreements in the past, and I believe we need to resolve those disagreements."

Frowning, Hobbs gave a shrug. "I am loyal to the Crown, sir." He replied. "And I will serve my duty, with no argument."

Horatio sighed. Exactly the answer he would expect. "I don't believe a Captain can run a ship without the support of his Officers, Mr. Hobbs." He informed the man. "I need to know if I can trust you as an officer in my crew."

"As I said, sir." Hobbs began.

"You are loyal to the King." Horatio finished. "But will you be loyal to me?"

"You are my superior officer, sir." Hobbs pointed out. "According to the Articles of War, I believe loyalty is a requirement, not a request."

Horatio sighed. This was not what he wanted. "I have ordered Mr. Bush to change course, Mr. Hobbs." He went on, trying a new method. "We are returning to the island to bury the dead."

Hobbs' head picked up, and he stared, uncertain.

"I'd like you to be in charge of the group recovering the bodies of the deserters." Horatio informed him. "I seem to remember a request of yours to bury the dead. We did not have the time then. We do now. Would you be willing to lead this expedition, Mr. Hobbs?"

After a moment, the Acting Lieutenant nodded. "Aye aye sir." He responded, with a salute.

Horatio returned the salute. "Dismissed."

As he left the Captain's cabin, Hobbs shook his head in disbelief. Although he was not fond of answering to the new Captain, he still had to admit, he respected the man a lot more for his sincerity. To Hornblower's credit, he was already showing the signs of a good Captain. Perhaps it was time for Hobbs to re think his opinions of the man.

Likely, it was the death of Lt. Kennedy that had affected his change in attitude and perhaps it was rightfully so. Hobbs himself had been surprised when the dying man had taken the stand. The confession he'd given was even more of a shock. That a man would be so loyal to his friend, he would give up his life, his reputation, his stature, and go to the grave of a traitor, simply so another man would go free.

It was from that example that Hobbs had begun to change his attitude toward what had been the pair of junior Lieutenants. He mightn't ever know who was responsible for Captain Sawyer's accident, if indeed any of them had been responsible. Yes, he had his suspicions that it may have in reality been an accident, despite Wellard's insistence at his death that _he_ had pushed the Captain. Hobbs, not believing this, chose not to include it in his testimony. Either way, he was glad it had been Hornblower who was promoted over Buckland. If any man was a born ass, it was Buckland.

In his own thoughts, had it been Lieutenant Bush who had taken over the ship when the Captain was incapacitated, Hobbs might have felt differently of the whole situation.

Shaking himself, Hobbs brought his thoughts back to the present. He still had to retrieve the bodies of the men who had once been his friends.

* * *

With Jesse and Allyssa both assisting and Hannah doing her part, Katryn had managed to complete the five hour surgery. She had repaired the lung and the liver as well as some damage that had been done to the gall bladder. It had not been an easy surgery. They had ended up having to crack Archie's chest due to complications, and thin his blood to keep the clotting to a minimum. During the process, he had arrested twice, and Dr. Sebastian had been forcibly removed from the room at Katryn's command, during the second cardiac arrest. Katryn, noticing his reaction as Jesse had fired up the sternal saw and began to saw through Archie's breastbone, had quickly told Willie to get the older man out of the room.

Dr. Sebastian had protested at first, but finally allowed himself to be removed from the operating room to the sick berth, where he had waited anxiously, with half the ship's crew, until the surgery finally ended.

Considering who the patient was; it was the hardest surgery Katryn had ever performed. In a normal hospital, she would not have been allowed to do the surgery, due to her close relationship with the patient. Here, she had no choice.

They had finally gotten him to where he was stabilized and hopefully out of danger . . . but it had been necessary to place him in a medical coma in order to get his body to start the healing process. They couldn't extubate him with the possibility of his needing another surgery, and if Archie awakened with the breathing tube down his throat, he was likely to panic. Not to mention he was also required to have a foley in place and that would be far worse than discovering a tube down his_ throat_.

After all this had been done, Archie was placed in a sick berth bed. He had indeed been put on a ventilator, and due to the thinning of his blood, the wound dressings were usually soaked through with blood seepage and had to be changed nearly every couple of hours. He had IV's in both arms; one for saline piggybacked with medication and the other for replacing the blood he was losing. His condition was announced as 'stable, but critical.'

Katryn had just returned to the room from her shower. She had on a fresh set of scrubs, and her hair was still damp. Allyssa had already gone to bed, in exhaustion, not having had previous experience on assisting in a five hour surgery. It had taken them most of the night to finally complete and wire Archie's breast bone back together. He had gone through eight liters of blood and they had been autotransfusing him to save having to get more.

Hannah sat beside Archie's bed, her hands folded in her lap. Her eyes were closed and it was clear she was praying, tears dripping from beneath her closed eyelids. Dr. Sebastian had allowed Jesse to give him a shot of Ativan as soon as he was convinced Kennedy would survive the night at least. The old surgeon was now asleep in the bed beside Archie's and the lights had been dimmed.

Dave Conrad; half his forehead in bandages, was also asleep. Chavez, the marine who had taken the burn to his leg in the explosion, had been released to his own quarters during the time Hannah had been on the _Renown._

Katryn walked over to Archie's bedside and put a hand on Hannah's shoulder. "How is he?"

Hannah wiped her eyes. "He's triggering the vent on his own." She replied, quietly.

Katryn nodded, relieved. This at least meant Kennedy was still breathing on his own. The ventilator merely was there to make sure he got enough oxygen into his system.

"Wound dressings and gown are soaked through though." Hannah went on.

Katryn, noting the blood on the blanket that covered him, pulled it down. "Not surprising from the heparin." She remarked, moving to check the transfusion bag. "He's going to need more blood."

Hannah motioned to a cooler on the floor. "Jesse got some more from our donors." She told the surgeon, quietly. "So we can start using that later. The autotransfusion saved us some trouble."

"Are you going to take the first watch?" Katryn asked.

Hannah nodded. "I can't really sleep right now anyway." She replied. "I'll get you if anything changes."

Katryn nodded. "Go ahead and change the wound dressings." She told her friend. "If he keeps up with the bleeding just leave the gown off while he's out."

Hannah nodded, watching Katryn go back to their quarters. They had agreed that one of them should be watching beside the bed at all times in case of an emergency.

* * *

Throughout the days that followed, Dr. Sebastian had remained aboard _David's Star,_ never far from Archie's bedside. He'd been assisting in changing the bandages and always let someone know if an IV bag needed to be changed. When he slept, he slept in the bed next to Archie's. The only times he left were to attend the church services and prayer meetings the crew held while awaiting news of Archie's condition, and to use the lavatory.

Hannah too, was never far away. She constantly sat by his bedside when Dr. Sebastian was sleeping. The entire crew had been praying for his survival.

After a week of waiting and praying, Katryn finally declared him to be out of danger enough to extubate him and allow him to awaken. Once the necessary tubes had been removed, Katryn placed Hannah on lookout duty. Dr. Sebastian was asleep after having been up thirty hours straight, and Katryn had made him rest.

Leaving orders with Hannah to come get her when Archie awakened, Katryn left the berth to go do her kitchen duty. She and Jacques had been placed on cooking duty that night and because she had missed her last cooking shift due to Archie's surgery, she felt she should not miss it this time.

Archie frowned as he slowly came out of the darkness. There had been that brief instant when he'd felt himself slipping away; his body seemed to be shutting down completely. His last clear memories were the words spoken between himself and Horatio. They had said their goodbyes, and he had looked Horatio in the eyes one last time to smile: Then there was nothing. Nothing until now.

Around him, there were now voices. At first they were indistinct then after a moment, they became more clear . . . and yet, he still didn't understand them. Then there were other noises. Higher pitched beeping noises. Clouding confusion in his brain. Where was he? Was this what it was to die?

He gave a quiet groan, turning his head. The infernal beeping and the voices were getting louder.

"Archie?" A worried voice cut through the darkness.

"Mmngh." He murmured, turning his head again. His arms, once heavy, like lead, were getting easier to move. Experimenting, he raised his left hand off the bed. There was something pulling at his arm. Something there that wouldn't usually be there.

Using his right hand, he reached over to find out what was pulling on his left, only to find something was also pulling at his right arm. Archie's frown deepened. This was certainly frustrating.

"Archie, can you hear me?" Hands, taking hold of his. "Squeeze my hand, Archie."

Confused, he gripped the hand, letting it slowly pull him out of the darkness.

"Archie?"

He grunted again. There was the voice again sounding more happy. Vaguely familiar, yet he couldn't seem to place it.

Slowly, still unsure of himself, Archie cracked open one eye. Bright light made him squint.

Above him, the light was turned down. That was a little better. He opened his eyes. Fuzzy at first, his vision started to clear. He was looking at the concerned face of a woman. He seemed to remember he knew her. Blinking, he concentrated on searching his memory. Hannah. This was Hannah. Nurse Hannah White Eagle. . .

He cocked his head to stare at her. If this was Hannah, he was certainly not dead. That must mean he had made it through the surgery. He tried to swallow, but the sensation of a dreadfully raw feeling in his throat would not let him complete the process.

Hannah held up three fingers. "How many fingers do you see?"

Archie frowned, focusing on her hand, blinked. "All of them." He whispered, honestly; his voice hoarse from disuse and the rawness in back of his throat.

Hannah shook her head with a grin. "I don't suppose I can argue with that one." She turned away. "Allyssa, go tell Katryn he's awake, and he doesn't seem to have lost his sense of humor, so I think he'll be alright."

As the other woman ran off, Hannah, still gripping his hand leaned over and pressed her lips against his forehead, near the hairline. "I was so worried about you." She murmured smoothing his hair back with her other hand.

After a moment, the memories of what had happened to him began to return. Looking back up at Hannah, he licked his lips and managed, after a very painful swallow, to ask what had worried him most before his 'death.' "H'ratio?" He questioned covering the hand that was holding his with his other hand.

Hannah, understanding this, smiled. "He's alright." She assured him, her thumb stroking his hand absently. "You saved him and he even got a promotion out of the whole thing. They put him in command of one of the ships you captured. I think they mentioned he's now a Commander."

Archie sighed, relieved. "Thank you." He croaked.

"Try to just whisper." Hannah instructed, her hand on his cheek. "Your throat is going to be really sore for a while."

Archie leaned into the touch on his face. "I had . . . noticed that."

Hannah smiled.

"You're really beautiful to wake up to." He murmured with a lazy smile.

"And you are _really_ doped up." She replied, laughing.

Hannah looked up as Katryn approached the bed. "How is he?"

"I think he'll be alright." Hannah replied. "I'd say the throat is a little sore from the sound of it, but that's no surprise considering the length of time he was out."

Archie frowned again. "How long?"

"You've been here just over a week now." Katryn told him. "We had to keep you out long enough for things to heal up, and you had a breathing tube down your throat all that time."

Archie nodded, but his eyes soon focused on the IV lines above him. He frowned, staring at the bag of blood.

"You lost a lot of blood, so we had to give you some more." Katryn explained, noting his confusion. "And you're still on medications for the pain so you're a little out of it." She paused, eyeing something he couldn't see. "Speaking of transfusions, you're going to need to change the wound dressings again, Hannah. It's seeping through yet again."

Archie, unsure of what she was talking about looked down and stared, wide eyed. There was blood all over the front of the gown he was wearing. This bothered him, as he remembered what he'd looked like when he'd first seen his blood soaked shirt after the battle.

At his sharp intake of breath, Katryn pushed his forehead back against the pillow. "You had blood clots in your lung." She informed him. "We had to thin the blood to stop them and it's causing a bit of extra bleeding. Don't worry about it. It'll soon stop."

Archie blinked. "Oh." He paused. "Then everything is alright?"

Katryn nodded. "You'll be in some pain for a while and you may have a little trouble getting a deep breath, but overall you should be alright. Any unusual sharp pain and you say something immediately. Understood?"

Archie gave her a salute. "Aye aye, Dr. Surgeon."

Hannah laughed, shaking her head.

"In the meantime, there's someone here, you may want to see." Katryn told him with a smile.

Archie's head perked up.

"It's not Horatio, sorry, but it IS someone close to you." She went on, as she pulled open the curtain next to his bed.

Archie stared in amazement. Asleep in the bed beside him was Dr. Sebastian. "How long?" He asked again.

"He's been here since we brought you here." Hannah replied. "He was up with you for a while, so we're letting him sleep for a bit, but I'll leave the curtain open so he can see you when he gets up."

Archie nodded. He had not seen the old doctor since he'd been transferred away from Captain Pellew's command –just before the Captain had been promoted to Commodore. During his days on the _Indie_, Dr. Sebastian had become like a father to Archie. It was he who had first broke through the pain surrounding Archie's past. When Archie had found out that he and Horatio were to join _Renown_ he had been proud, yet the one disappointment had been that Dr. Sebastian would stay with Commodore Pellew on his new ship. That had been nearly two years ago, and Archie had missed the doctor dearly.

Behind Hannah and Katryn, a dark haired young woman Archie had never seen came over carrying a cup. She handed the cup to Katryn.

"Archie, this is Allyssa." Hannah announced. "She's Katryn's Scut-Puppy."

Archie frowned.

Katryn rolled her eyes. "Another term for 'Medical Student.'" She translated. "It means they do the scut work that doctors don't like. You know, like collecting urine samples, and running errands, that kind of thing."

"I see."

"Nice to finally meet you." Allyssa responded with a smile.

Katryn handed him the cup as Hannah helped him sit up a bit, adjusting a thin loop of tubing around, under his nose and back behind his ears. "Ice chips." Katryn explained. "You can't have solid food just yet but sucking on ice should help with the sore throat . . . and the tube is just oxygen to help you breathe better."

Hannah moved a tray table over to his bed so he'd have somewhere to put the cup.

"I have to get back to the kitchen so I think we can let him rest a bit." Katryn told the others.

Archie relaxed back against the pillow and tipped the cup into his mouth. The ice soothed the dry aching feeling in his throat quickly.

Placing the cup on the tray, he looked over at his old friend. They had said Dr. Sebastian had been up with him for a long time, and was exhausted. Archie decided this would be fine. He would wait until the older man woke up for talking.

He wondered if Horatio knew anything about his condition. Most likely not, he decided. Katryn had said he only had half a chance of coming out of it, and that they would not say anything until Archie had recovered enough.

Perhaps now they could go after the ship his friend was on. At the moment, Archie definitely knew one thing for sure. He desperately wanted to see Horatio, and let him know he was alright.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Archie frowned, watching Hannah remove the soiled bandages on his chest. Whatever he'd been expecting, it was not what he saw.

As the bandage was pulled away, his eyes widened in shock. Down the center of his chest was a long stitched incision. To the side of it, where the gunshot had been, there were more stitches. Between the stitches in both areas, blood was still seeping through.

Noticing his alarm, Hannah gently pushed his head back so he could see less of it. "Katryn had to crack your chest." She finally informed him.

Archie raised his eyebrows, looking partly confused and partly amazed.

"She had to saw through the breastbone and open the entire chest." Hannah translated. "There were too many difficulties with clotting. We're going to have to keep you on meds for a while, because it's going to hurt where the bone was split."

"And how did it get back together?" Archie asked, confused.

"They had to wire it back."

Blinking, Archie swallowed. "Does this wire have to come out?"

"Not unless there are some complications down the line." Hannah answered. "Sometimes it can loosen over a period of time and cause some annoyance poking at the skin but usually, it's fine to just leave it. However, if it does come to be a bother later on, it can be removed fairly easily."

"How long will it take to heal?"

"Not as long as your leg took." Hannah answered, cleaning around the stitches. "But it will take at least a month or two. You will not be able to raise your arms up without it causing some pain so you'll need some assistance with some everyday tasks for a while and you will not be allowed to lift anything heavy for at least six weeks. Other than that, it generally heals faster than most would think, depending on the internal damages."

"I see." Archie chewed his lip. "Does Horatio know yet?"

"We're trying to chase him down." Hannah told him, shaking her head. "Davey told Bush to stall him, so we have a pretty good idea of where they are, but that's only if he succeeded."

"Stall him?"

"The ship's orders were to sail back to England." Hannah informed Archie. "We're hoping Bush was able to delay that."

"How?"

"You left a few dead bodies on an island." Hannah reminded him. "Deserters, I believe? If Will succeeded, they'll be retrieving and burying the bodies."

Archie gave a doubtful look. "I don't know how Horatio would react to that." He remarked, honestly. "He doesn't look upon deserters very well."

"We told him to play the wild card."

"The wild card?"

"Play against the fact that Horatio was forced to throw a body overboard, and even though they were deserters, they still deserve to be buried." Hannah explained.

Archie looked a bit impressed. "That may actually work." He replied, after a moment.

"We're counting on it."

As Hannah secured a new bandage to the surgical site, Archie noticed again the gold chain around her neck. The locket hung below. Although he saw this, he did not comment this time. He desperately wanted to know if his suspicions were correct, but this was not something he could just ask straight out. If she noticed him eyeing the locket again, Hannah did not comment on it.

As she finished the new bandage, Hannah instead looked over to the left. "Ah, I believe Dr. Sebastian has returned to the land of the living."

The old doctor slowly sat up. When he saw Archie looking at him, his mouth broke to a smile. "And I see I am not the only one who has returned to life."

Archie couldn't resist a grin.

"I'll just leave the two of you to catch up." Hannah put in, pulling the curtains around them as she left.

Archie watched the nurse depart, intently.

The doctor, noticing this raised an eyebrow. "She seems to be very nice." He spoke up, pointedly.

Kennedy, with a slight blush, looked back down at his lap. "From what I know of her, she is." He remarked, quietly.

Dr. Sebastian smiled, shaking his head.

"Did anyone mention how close they are to finding Horatio's ship?" Archie asked, after a pause.

The older man shrugged. "I believe we should know by either tonight or tomorrow." He replied, not sounding sure. "We are headed to the island specified . . ."

"But they are not sure Will was able to stall the ship." Archie finished, sighing.

"Let us pray he was." Dr. Sebastian went on, seriously, before he continued. "Because I will have to be transferred off this ship before it returns to Florida."

Archie closed his eyes. He had known they were taking him away, but still, the thought of leaving behind everyone he knew and respected caused some distress.

Dr. Sebastian, reading the look in his eyes, nodded. "I've heard a mention of perhaps another trip like this some time." He informed the younger man.

Archie gaze turned back to him. "You mean they may come back?"

The old doctor shrugged. "I'm not completely certain on it, but there were a few of the crew speaking of it as a possibility." He answered. "But in all honesty, I do not think you should go back to England in this time."

Archie nodded. "I know." He responded, absently. "If they catch me, they hang me."

"Well, see that's the key word." A familiar voice spoke up from nearby.

Archie frowned, as Dr. Sebastian opened the other side curtain. In another sick berth bed not far away, Lt. Dave Conrad was sitting up, grinning at him.

It had been three years since Archie had last seen Dave. He looked well, if one could ignore the bandaging over his eye.

"What is the key word?" Archie asked him, confused.

"'IF.'" Conrad replied, matter-of-factly. "The makeup and disguise techniques of the future are a lot better than they are now. In all honesty, we could change your looks so well, not even Horatio could recognize you if you ever _did_ want to go back."

Archie, now definitely interested, blinked. "Really?"

Conrad's grin widened. "Oh yeah."

"Although your ship's current orders are to return to Florida." Dr. Sebastian pointed out.

"Well, yeah." Conrad admitted. "But if we _do_ come back . . ." He trailed off.

Archie shrugged and went back to his cup of ice chips. This was certainly very welcome news. Perhaps he would be able to come back after all . . . someday. Whatever he was going to do before that happened; he still had no idea.

Before anyone else could comment, they were interrupted by Jesse's arrival.

"Guess what!" He announced.

"You've sighted the Bermuda Triangle." Conrad quipped, half serious.

Jesse looked at him like he was insane. "We're _in_ the Bermuda Triangle." He pointed out.

"We're lost?" Conrad tried again.

"Shut up." Jesse retorted.

"What_ is_ it?" Archie asked, impatiently.

"We found out that our tuna-fish really _is_ made from dolphins!" Jesse announced, proudly.

Archie stared at him. _What?_ Was _that_ really even worth announcing?

"Will you two stop teasing them?" Katryn scolded them, before turning back to the other two. "They just found what we are assuming is Horatio's ship."

Archie's head perked up. "Really?"

"Well, we're not totally sure yet." Jesse put in. "I mean it's not like he wrote '_Horatio's Ship'_ on the main sheet or something, which would have been really helpful, but we _assume_ it's his ship."

Archie suddenly choked on his ice. The very thought of Horatio doing such a thing was completely unlike him, but it certainly made for a hysterical mental image.

Katryn rushed over to help him, and glared at Jesse. "Way to go, Babe. Choke him to death just the second we finally find Horatio to tell him he's alive." She said in a reproaching tone. "What are we supposed to tell him then? 'Sorry man, we _did_ save him but he choked to death on an ice cube before we could flag you down!'"

Archie now had tears streaking his face. He'd managed to swallow the ice, but he couldn't stop the laughing. His chest had started to hurt and he was sure he was bleeding again, but he loved this ship and these people.

Not even Dr. Sebastian could keep a straight face, at Katryn's perfect imitation of Jesse's manner of speaking.

Hannah, completely sober, finally cut in. "Someone's going to have to change his bandage again before we bring Horatio down here or he's going to freak." She stated, pointedly.

Archie looked down at the front of his gown. "Oops." He murmured, guiltily, before he pointed at Jesse. "He did it."

"Well, it didn't take long for all that Navy discipline and proper behavior to revert back to where we had him before." Conrad announced, proudly. "Horatio will be so pleased to hear that we broke him again."

* * *

On the _Retribution_, Horatio was starting to get annoyed with his First Lieutenant. The bodies of the deserters had been recovered and given their burials at sea, and yet still, Lt. Bush was stalling him. Yes, he was sure of it now. For whatever reason, Horatio couldn't figure out, their return to England was being purposely delayed. After they had completed the burials, Lt. Bush had then suggested, rather desperately, that perhaps they should get a supply of fresh water while they were there; although they had already obtained sufficient supplies before they'd departed from Kingston. This was subsequently noticeable as a ploy to delay them that even Hobbs caught onto it and was persistently eying Lt. Bush with a suspicious frown.

Seated at his table, in his quarters, Horatio had sent word for Mr. Bush to come see him. It was time he told his Captain what was going on. Their orders were to return to England and Horatio was going to see that they did just that, regardless of what Mr. Bush was scheming about.

He looked up at the sound of knocking at his door. "Come!" He called out.

It was not Mr. Bush who was knocking. It was Styles.

Frowning, Horatio stood up. "What is it, Styles?"

"Sir, Mr. Bush's respects, we've sighted _David's Star_ to the southwest." Styles replied.

Horatio's eyes widened and he quickly followed Styles out of his quarters and out onto the main deck, where Lt. Bush stood, motioning to their immediate southwest. Sure enough, it was indeed _David's Star_.

"I thought you'd want to see this, sir." Bush informed him.

Seeing the look on his face, Horatio sighed, realization suddenly dawning on him. "Did you know they were coming?"

William's gaze drifted to the deck for a moment. "Yes sir."

"This is why you've been delaying our return to England." Horatio stated, not sounding happy about it.

Bush slowly nodded.

"They're signaling sir!" Matthews announced, interrupting what would have been an argument. "They say they have a British crewman who needs to be transferred off their ship, and they want you, Mr. Bush, Mr. Hobbs, Styles and myself to come aboard."

Horatio frowned, confused. "A British crewman?" He questioned, turning to his First Lieutenant. "Do you know anything about this?"

"No sir." William responded honestly. Indeed, he knew nothing about a transfer of anyone. As far as he knew, Archie was not to be returning with them, so the crewman couldn't be him.

Horatio sighed. "Very well." He finally answered. "Prepare the jollyboat."

"Aye sir." Styles responded.

* * *

On the deck of _David's Star_, the men from the _Retribution_ were helped aboard.

"I apologize fer surprisin' ye like this." Captain Richards declared, noticing the confusion on Horatio's face. "Our orders are ta return ta Florida, an' we canna keep an extra man on board when we return."

Horatio raised an eyebrow, casting a sideways glance at Mr. Bush. "Not all of us were surprised, it seems."

Richards sighed. "No." He returned apologetically. "Davey sent word to yer First Lieutenant that we would be lookin' for ye. We asked him not ta tell ye for another reason." Then the Captain changed the subject. "Mr. Matthews and Mr. Styles, the men wanted ta see ye before we left. Mr. Hobbs, I believe Hannah would like ta see ye."

Surprised, Hobbs turned to look where Richards had indicated. Indeed, Hannah was standing on the Quarter deck. Nodding, he climbed up to join her.

"You two come wi' me." Richards finished, leading Will and Horatio down a staircase.

As they followed, Horatio realized they were being lead toward the sick berth. No. It couldn't possibly be . . . They had said they couldn't change it. All this was going through his mind, as Richards opened the door to the sick berth. Once inside, Horatio's heart-rate quickened. Could it possibly be? Was this the reason they had stalled his return?

From a curtained area, a man appeared. Horatio's heart sank in disappointment. It was Dr. Sebastian. Although, he had not seen the old doctor in a couple years, he couldn't keep the disappointment from showing in his face.

"Horatio, can I see you a second before you take Dr. Sebastian with you?" Katryn called from the doorway to her quarters.

Sighing, Horatio nodded and entered her room, missing completely the looks exchanged by the old doctor and Lt. Bush.

"You look like someone shot your dog." Katryn commented, once they were closed inside her room. "Is it that disappointing to see him here?"

Blinking, Horatio shook his head. "No." He replied, distantly. "I was–" he couldn't go on.

"You were hoping for someone else." She finished.

He nodded.

"I brought you in here because I wanted to apologize."

He frowned. "About what?"

"For lying to you." She answered. "True, it wasn't completely a lie, but there were reasons we couldn't tell you."

Horatio stared at her. What was she saying?

"You had to believe he had died or no one else would have." Katryn went on.

Horatio paled.

"And we would have told you before we left Kingston, but we had to make sure he'd survive the surgery."

"What are you saying?" He asked in a whisper.

"Mr. Bush knew what we were doing because he overheard it." Katryn went on. "We asked him to stall you because we needed the time to see if Archie would survive the surgery."

"Then he is alive?"

Katryn smiled. "Yes. He woke up only a couple hours ago." She explained. "We kept him in a comatose state for a week to start the healing process. Commodore Pellew oversaw the switch at the prison, but _he_ couldn't tell you because we didn't want to raise your hopes until we were sure he'd live."

"Will he live?"

"I believe he will." Katryn answered, nodding. "But if you want to ask him yourself how he's doing, he's out there in the curtained off corner. We've been giving him blood transfusions, to replace the blood he's lost, and due to clotting we had to thin his blood, so if he looks like he's bleeding a lot, it's normal. I'm only telling you this so you won't be surprised when you see him hooked up to a bag of blood."

Horatio couldn't believe what he was hearing. Archie was _alive_! They _had_ managed to save him! But then he frowned in confusion, remembering the signaled message. "Your message said you had _one_ crewman to transfer." He remarked. If the crewman was Dr. Sebastian, what would happen with Archie?

"I'll let Archie explain that part." Katryn answered after a minute. "I believe he's been asking to see you, and nearly jumped out of his bed when he was told we'd found you. I don't think it's fair to let him wait any longer."

Horatio was out the door in a moment, rushing over to where Katryn had told him he'd find his friend.

Katryn stood at her doorway, shaking her head with a smile, as Horatio disappeared behind the curtain.

Dr. Sebastian had pulled Lt. Bush off to the side, where he was obviously describing how the doctors had managed to save his friend's life. William watched as Horatio came out the door and ran to the curtained off area. Somehow, he knew he would be forgiven for deceiving the Captain. He too was anxious to see Archie, but he would wait his turn. It was enough at the moment to know he was alright.

Archie had grown tired of waiting. It drove him crazy to know Horatio was in the room, but he couldn't see him. However, he also knew Katryn had to tell him why they hadn't told him the truth first. After what seemed to Archie like eternity, Horatio strode out of Katryn's room and rushed over to the corner.

The look on his friend's face when he saw Archie sitting up, waiting for him somehow made all the waiting worth it.

"I knew they would find you." Archie spoke up, quietly. His throat had not completely stopped hurting yet, so he continued to speak softer than normal. The ice was helping, but the rawness would take a while to heal up.

Horatio seemed to be completely speechless. He was slightly taken aback at the IV's and monitoring devices that kept track of Archie's vital signs.

"Was this the plan from the beginning?" Horatio finally managed to ask.

Archie nodded. "I wanted to tell you." He told his friend, earnestly. "But Katryn forbid it. You had to believe I was dead."

"Why?"

Archie gave a half smile. "H'ratio, you're the model of a perfect Officer." He remarked, pointedly. "But you're a lousy actor. If you thought for one second I was alive, no one else would believe I wasn't."

Horatio sighed, realizing his friend was right.

"Besides, they told me I only had half a chance anyway." Archie went on. "As it was, they almost lost me twice from what I'm told. The surgery was so bad, they made Dr. Sebastian leave the room."

"They almost lost you?" Horatio questioned, concerned. Had it been _that_ bad even for such advanced medical practices as the crew of _David's Star_ possessed?

"Meaning my heart apparently came close to stopping twice during the operation." Archie translated. "Then they had to crack open my chest and that was when Katryn made Dr. Sebastian leave the room . . . or so Dr. Sebastian has told me."

Horatio wordlessly sat down in the chair beside his friend's bed. They had _cracked _open Archie's _chest_? He couldn't even imagine doing such a thing to a living person. "So back when Katryn came aboard the ship to see you . . ." He trailed off, shakily.

"She came because this had to be my own choice." Archie informed him. "They couldn't save me and take me away without first asking me what I wanted."

Horatio's face froze. "Take you away?" No! He couldn't mean such a thing!

Archie sighed. This was the part he had dreaded. "According to History, I died in Kingston." He told his friend. "The only way they could save me was to take me at the moment I would have died. I cannot go back to England with you. If they find me alive, they will hang me. I have to go back with _David's Star_ to Florida as part of their crew."

Horatio shook his head in denial. That Archie should be saved, only to be taken away again was too much to bear.

Archie laid his hand on Horatio's arm, gripping it. "Please understand this, if nothing else." He pleaded. "If I had died, I knew I would never have seen you or anyone else again, yet if I let them save me, I faced the same thing. But either way, you would have had to live without me. Tell me truthfully. Which option would you have advised, had I been able to tell you?"

Horatio closed his eyes in defeat. "I would have wanted you to live." He replied, after a moment. "Even if I never saw you again, I would still have wanted you to live."

Archie nodded. "I know."

"Although I would prefer you to be alive and _happy_." Horatio commented. "What are you going to do there?"

Archie shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know." He answered. "Katryn said I would have to start my life over. There was so much I'd wanted and never could do."

Horatio gave a thoughtful smile. "You could always be an actor."

Archie gave a laugh. "True." He admitted. "Although for what it's worth, I _did_ eventually come to enjoy the Navy and being at sea. Now that I finally have my own choice, I find I don't know what to do with the rest of my life."

"You could also get married or something." Horatio suggested.

Archie shrugged. "Perhaps."

"There is just one thing." Horatio spoke up.

Archie raised an eyebrow.

"If there is some way. If it could be done . . . could you somehow get word back here?" Horatio requested. "I _would_ like to know you're all right at the very least."

"You have my word, if there is a way, I will get word to you somehow." Archie promised.

Horatio nodded and reached out to shake Archie's hand.

Archie took the hand and pulled his friend in for a hug. "I shall definitely miss you, my friend." He confessed, with a sigh.

"As will I; you." Horatio managed to respond, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Archie grinned. "Now stand aside so I can bid farewell to the others before we go our separate ways." He remarked, laughing.

Horatio smiled and nodded. "I'll send in Will."

"H'ratio?" Archie spoke up before his friend could leave through the curtain.

"What is it?"

"You wouldn't by any chance know what became of my sea-chest would you?" Archie asked, pointedly.

Horatio smiled. "I most certainly would." He replied. "We were taking it back to England to your family. I'll see to it that we somehow manage to lose it."

Archie nodded. "Thank you. Katryn has told me that my entire collection of gold sovereigns is worth a fortune in their time."

Horatio stared in amazement.

"And you wouldn't believe what my_ books_ are worth!"

"Well, I suppose that means you'll have something to live on." Horatio commented, shaking his head, as he left.

Archie watched after him, with a grin. He was going to miss his friend; that was certain . . . but it helped that he had this chance to see him at least. Somehow, whatever the future held Archie knew he would be ready for it, and perhaps as Conrad had mentioned, they would someday return to this time.

When William opened the curtain, Archie motioned for him to take a seat.

As Horatio stepped out on deck, he frowned at the sight that met his eyes. Hannah was hugging Hobbs, and the man was smiling for the first time Horatio had ever seen him.

"She wanted to thank him for bringing her back here." A voice spoke up from behind Horatio.

Horatio turned seeing another young woman he had not yet met. "I'm Allyssa Marsden." She informed him. "Katryn told me all about you. But don't worry; I didn't believe all of it."

Horatio sighed, knowing she was only teasing. "You were the Medical Student on the radio when Dr. Casse called for Hannah." He remembered, shaking her hand. Allyssa had not been in the sick berth when Horatio and the others had come to deliver Hannah's effects from _David's Star_ to _Renown._ Katryn had mentioned that she was on duty in the mess at that time.

"Yeah, that would be me." She answered. "I'm here for some extra experience in the field, and it looks good for my teachers if I get a good recommendation here."

"I see."

Allyssa watched his face. "Are you worried about your friend?"

Horatio turned back. "Some." He confessed.

"He'll be okay." Allyssa informed him. "Katryn's already said she'll help him out until he gets settled in."

Horatio nodded. Somehow he'd already known that Archie would not be set out on his own. Knowing this set Horatio more at ease. Then again, he also knew Archie. Yes, Archie would be fine. After all he had been through and survived . . . he would continue to survive somehow.

* * *

(Author's note): The term "Scut-Puppy" as being a slang term for "Medical Student" is from an Episode of ER in about 4th Season, I believe. When Dr. Carter got his first Med Student to train. The quote used was that this was his very own "Scut-Puppy." My sis and I thought it funny so it was incorporated into this story, and in case anyone is wondering, Allyssa Marsden is created after Lucy Knight. Despite the dark hair, her appearance as will be shown in my David's Star 2 drawings, not finished yet, will also resemble Kelly Martin.

As for Hannah White Eagle, she is created after a very special nurse who was one of the funniest characters I've gotten to know in books. Hannah was not only modeled after but named after Ms. Hannah Palemoon in the book series, _Left Behind._ (if you're curious she comes into the story during "_The Indwelling_" and remains in all the books that follow it and is one of the funniest characters in the series)


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER NINE**

By the time evening had fallen, the sick berth was quiet. The lights had been dimmed and several of the patients had gone to sleep after their supper had been cleared away.

For the first time since he'd awakened, Archie had been allowed something to eat. It had not been solid food but he didn't mind being served ice cream. It had greatly soothed the raw feeling in his throat.

Above, in the Captain's Cabin, Archie knew the men of the _Retribution_ had been invited to stay for supper with he and his main Officers. Although Styles and Matthews had preferred to eat with their friends in the Sailing Crew, Horatio, William, and Hobbs had stayed. Katryn and Jesse had also joined the group for dinner, leaving Allyssa and Hannah to watch the patients in the sick berth.

When he'd heard that Katryn was in on the invite to dinner, Archie had laughed. Remembering her lack of table manners, he thought that would be very interesting indeed. Unfortunately, Katryn had promised Horatio she would be on her best behavior. Archie had been disappointed, as he'd found her lack of manners rather comical. However, it was unlikely that SuperFly would be invited to _this_ meal, so at least she was unable to feed the cat under the table. A pity, Archie mused.

As promised, Horatio had made sure Archie's sea-chest had been delivered to the sick berth. It had been kept covered up so the crew would not know what it was they were moving. Not all the men would be able to keep silent about Archie's escape, if they were to know of it; so only the men that Horatio trusted completely had been told.

Archie was reading one of his books, when Hannah interrupted to change his bandage and replace the empty IV bags.

Returning the book to his tray table, Archie watched Hannah switch the empty bag of blood for a full one.

"Where do you get the blood?" He asked, curiously, keeping his voice low, not wanting to disturb the others who were sleeping.

Hannah gave a shrug. "We have a few crewmen who happen to have the same blood type as you do." She informed him. "They acted as blood donors. Then there are also a few who have type O negative, and that type is generally compatible with all other blood types, so they gave some blood, too."

"And how did they know what type I was?"

"You submitted to a blood test the last time you were here." Hannah reminded him. "Your blood type is in our files, as is the blood type of every member of this crew."

Archie nodded, remembering well the reasons Katryn had given him the blood test.

Hannah quickly finished switching the IV bags and moved to pull away the blanket to check the front of the gown Archie was wearing. Sure enough, the blood had once again seeped through the bandage.

"At this rate, you may as well leave the gown off." Archie remarked, with a sigh. This was at least the seventh time his gown and bandage had been changed since he'd awakened.

"Actually, it's not that bad this time." Hannah replied, honestly. "The bleeding is starting to slow. In fact, I don't think you'll need another bag of blood after this one finishes."

Archie shrugged. "Well, I suppose that's good at least."

"The other IV, on the other hand has to stay—"

"Until I eat something solid and keep it down." Archie finished. He remembered this part well.

"Glad to see your memory is still intact." Hannah commented. "Saves me the trouble of explaining it all."

Archie gave a half smile as he watched her pull a fresh gown from the cabinet, checking to make sure it had buttons on both sleeves to allow for the IVs.

Accustomed to this routine, Archie leaned forward to let her unsnap the buttons at the backs of his shoulders, that held the gown he was wearing in place. Holding the blanket securely at his waist to protect what little of his modesty he still had, he allowed her to pull away the soiled gown.

Noticing his discomfort, Hannah paused. "Would you rather Jesse did this?"

"No, I'm alright." Archie answered, shaking his head. "Mostly it's just habit. Somehow I doubt I have much you haven't already seen."

Hannah gave a shrug, but Archie did not miss the glimmer in her dark eyes. "True enough." She replied. "I _was_ the one who put in the . . ." she stopped, realizing what she was saying. "On second thought, you're better off not knowing about _that _part.

Archie frowned, noting her look. "What part?" He asked, suspiciously.

"Forget it." Hannah insisted. "Some things you just don't want to know. Believe me."

Archie chewed his lip in thought. "I'm guessing you're referring to some medical procedure that would be completely embarrassing?" He mused.

"Well, now that you mention it, yeah, it's something like that." Hannah replied, as she gently removed the soiled bandage from his chest.

His curiosity was piqued. "Is it worse than getting sponge bathed in front of your closest friend?"

Hannah blinked. "Uh, yes." She answered, after a moment, turning to look him in the eye. "_Way_worse."

Archie considered this. His rational mind told him she was probably right that he wouldn't want to know, but his curiosity still couldn't keep him from asking exactly _how_ much worse it_ could_ be.

Hannah shrugged with a sigh and leaned closer, keeping her voice pitched low. "Let's just say that the tube down your throat was not the _only_ tube Katryn insisted on having removed before you awakened." She informed him, pointedly.

Archie's blue eyes widened, as he realized exactly what she was saying. Then it dawned on him that she had just told him _she_ had been the one to put this other tube in place.

"On second thought, I think you're right." He managed to get out, his face turning crimson. "There are some things I really _don't_ want to know about, after all."

Hannah gave a small, sly grin, her eyes glittering with mirth. "Then you don't wanna know who took it _out_?"

"No, not really." Archie remarked, indignantly. "I'd just as soon remain ignorant of it, thank you very much."

"If it's any consolation, you're not that bad looking." She assured him, matter-of-factly. "Seriously, none of the three of us was complaining about the view-"

"STOP!" Archie ordered, positive the red on his cheeks was never going to go away. "I honestly don't want to know any more!"

Hannah held her gloved hands up in surrender, before she returned to washing the blood away from the surgical site.

They remained in silence until she had finished applying a fresh bandage.

"Is it safe to assume you have read through my medical files then?" Archie asked, after a moment.

Hannah was quiet a beat. "Not completely." She finally responded. "But yes, I read enough of it."

Archie nodded in thought. He desperately wanted to know her own story, but he still said nothing, for fear of upsetting her again.

Hannah remained silent as she secured the clean gown, making sure she didn't miss any buttons in the dim light. As soon as the clean gown was settled and his blanket was straightened, she slowly removed her gloves, tossing them into the nearest trash can. She then sat down in the chair beside his bed, looking down at her lap, lost in her own thoughts.

Archie, not wanting to dissuade her, kept silent waiting for her to make the first move.

"His name was David Raven White Eagle." She finally spoke up, her gaze not moving from her lap. "They said he'd been born with a defect in his heart, and none of the doctors caught it soon enough."

Archie frowned, confused. "None of the doctors could see what was happening to him?"

"I had no health insurance to have him tested for anything." Hannah explained. "I had him when I was fifteen, and after the hospital bill from when I had him, we couldn't afford the cost."

Archie looked down at his lap. "You were by yourself then?"

"I lived mainly with my older sister, Anna by that time." Hannah told him. "She was working as a waitress to support us. I couldn't work because David was so small and sickly I had to stay with him constantly." She paused. "And in the United States, you have to be at least sixteen years of age before you can get a decent job."

"What happened to your Mother and Father?"

"My mother died in childbirth with my baby brother." Hannah explained. "He was born premature because she was so sick. He followed her in death only two days later. My father later drank himself to an early grave. It drove his blood pressure too high. He suffered a heart attack, but he would have died anyway, because he was also suffering from liver failure. He followed my mom by six years."

Archie nodded. "How old were you when you lost him?"

"I was seven and Anna was twelve." Hannah answered, still not meeting his gaze. "I don't really remember my mother, but I know Anna looked a lot like her. I have only one picture of her and my father."

Archie watched as she pulled what looked to be a little booklet from her back pocket. She handed him two pictures. One was obviously her parents. The other was a younger woman he could only assume was Hannah's older sister, Anna. The young woman in the picture was with a young man, who was, like Hannah and her family, an American Indian.

"You look like your father." He noted.

"I know." Hannah replied.

"Who's this man?" Archie asked, pointing at the young man with Anna.

"That's Jared Blackwater." Hannah informed him, as he handed the pictures back. "Anna's boyfriend. He was like my brother for a long time."

Archie nodded, waiting for her to go on.

"When our father died, Anna and I were sent to live with our mom's sister, Ruth, in a trailer park not far from our school." Hannah continued. "At the time, my Aunt Ruth was a waitress who had dropped out of high school when she was sixteen. She didn't have much for us all to live on, so we ended up on Welfare."

"What's that?"

"It's like a charity group the government funds by taking a little money from the average working people." Hannah explained. "They give out food stamps for groceries, and pay some medical fees." She paused. "But when you're a girl in school, it's an embarrassment to have to depend on charity."

"I suppose I can understand that." Archie replied, thoughtfully.

"As soon as Anna turned sixteen, Aunt Ruth got her a waitress job in another restaurant." Hannah continued. "Anna managed to complete high school, but when she graduated her grades weren't all that good. She never went to college, but she was able to work full time after she graduated."

"So when did she meet this Jared?"

"At the restaurant where she worked." Hannah answered. "He'd come in to eat and the two of them hit it off. He was six years older than her and he owned a mechanics shop that he'd inherited from his father."

"By mechanics, I'm assuming you mean he fixes things?" Archie inquired.

Hannah nodded. "He worked on cars and motorcycles, fixing them and selling them."

Archie nodded, understanding. He knew about cars and motorcycles because Katryn had told him about them the last time he'd been here.

"I loved Jared." Hannah went on, smiling. "He was everything I'd ever wanted in a brother. He was always nice to me, letting me come to his shop after school. I didn't like to go home to the empty trailer where we lived with Aunt Ruth. I did my schoolwork in Jared's office, and hung around watching him work for hours. Usually until Anna got off work, and Jared took us home."

"When Anna turned eighteen, she moved in with Jared." Hannah went on. "I was still in school, living with Aunt Ruth, but most of my time was spent at Anna and Jared's home. I only went back to Ruth's once in a while. She had, by that time, stopped being our guardian. She was hardly home and we rarely talked."

"There was no protesting about them living together without being married?" Archie asked, confused. He knew that in_ this_ time, such a thing would be considered a terrible scandal.

"We were raised mainly Atheist." Hannah explained. "And in the future, there are so many people doing it that nobody cares anymore. Besides, Jared didn't have enough money to get married, and neither did Anna."

"I see." Archie responded. Apparently he had a lot to learn about the future if he was going to live in it.

"But, you're right." Hannah informed him. "It's against Christian beliefs for a couple to live together outside of marriage and my morals have changed a lot since then. I would not do such a thing now, nor would I approve of a family member doing it."

Archie nodded. He could certainly understand this, from his time spent at the theater when he was avoiding his own family. "I understand why you would rather spend your time with your sister, than with your Aunt, though. I cannot say I would not have done the same."

Hannah smiled, before her head turned. She seemed to be listening for something.

"What is it?" Archie asked, frowning.

"I believe dinner is over." Hannah answered. "Your friends will want to see you before they leave, I suspect."

Archie nodded. Horatio had told him as much before he'd gone upstairs to dinner. Disappointed at not getting to hear more of Hannah's story, Archie looked down at his lap. "Would you mind coming to talk more later?" He asked, uncertainly.

Hannah turned to meet his gaze. "Maybe not tonight." She answered, covering a yawn. "It's been a long day and I'm really tired." She paused, watching his face. "But we can talk tomorrow."

Archie perked up, and gave her a smile. "Alright then." He finally responded. "Until tomorrow."

Hannah stood up and stretched, as the door to the sick berth opened and Katryn, Jesse, and Horatio entered. "I have to go give my report to Katryn on how you're doing now." She remarked, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Good night, Archie."

"Good night, Hannah." He returned, grinning as she disappeared through the curtain.

Her place was soon taken by Horatio.

"Was I interrupting anything?" Horatio asked, noting the distant look on his friend's face.

Archie blinked, and turned to meet his friend's gaze. "No, she's going to bed anyway."

Eyeing the new IV bags above, Horatio shifted his gaze to the front of Archie's gown.

"It's slowing down, if that's what you're wondering." Archie informed him, with a pointed look. "She said this will hopefully be the last of the blood transfusions."

Horatio sighed, relieved. "Good to know." He replied. "How many times have they changed that bandage now?"

"I don't really know." Archie remarked, thoughtful. "It depends on how many times they changed it while I was in the coma." He paused. "I'm guessing a lot."

Horatio was quiet a moment, thinking.

Archie watched his eyes. There was something bothering his friend, he could tell, but somehow, he already knew what it was.

"I just wish I could know for sure if you're going to be alright there." Horatio finally said, quietly.

"I told you would try to let you know."

"I know." Horatio intoned. "But I still worry."

Archie gave a slight tilt of his chin. An almost unnoticeable glimmer in his blue eyes caught Horatio's attention.

Horatio sighed. "What?"

Archie shrugged. "I know how you feel." He returned, the glitter of mirth in his eyes, giving away the fact that he was teasing. "I'm not all that sure _you're_ going to be alright after I'm gone. How many times have I had to save your worthless hide already? I just know that the moment I leave, you're going to go out and get yourself into another fix, and I won't be there to get you out."

Horatio finally cracked a smile. "Well, I suppose Will could take over that duty for a while." He pointed out. "I seem to remember saving him a few times lately."

Archie chuckled. "After all the trouble he's gotten into with either of us, he'll more than likely make it back to England and flee in blind panic at the very mention of your name."

Horatio shook his head, laughing.

"Well think about it." Archie pressed. "After all the times you've nearly drowned him, he may actually swear off the sea for good. Then who would get you out of your next fix?"

"Alright, you've made your point." Horatio managed to get out, gasping.

Archie sighed, letting his head fall back against his pillow. "You'd better get going." He spoke up, quietly, listening to the sounds from above. "They'll be waiting for you."

Horatio set his jaw, and stood.

"There is one more thing." Archie put in before he could turn away.

"What?"

Archie pulled out an envelope. It was sealed and blank but for one name.

"Take this to Devonshire and give it to no one but the name on it." Archie told him, pressing the envelope into his friend's hand. "Do not give it to anyone else, and deliver it in person only."

Horatio read the name written in the middle of the envelope. '_**Lord Bridgeleigh**__._' He had heard the name of Archie's father mentioned only a few times. Archie did not speak of him often and when he did, it was usually brief, and emotionless.

"Some things that needed to be said and I do not want it to have to go through William." Archie informed his friend. "Promise me you'll see that he gets it."

Horatio slipped the envelope into his topcoat pocket. Somehow it made sense that Archie would want to attempt one last appeal to the father who had all but abandoned him. Horatio had seen in his friend's eyes the desperation and the desolation Archie had faced the last time he had tried and failed to see the man. Archie had not spoken of where he had gone that day, or why, but Horatio had known; and the pain of the rejection he'd received had gone unnoticed to all except Horatio. Whatever was in the letter, it was clear what it meant to his friend.

"I give you my word I will get it to him if I have to break into the house and find him myself." He answered, solemnly.

Whatever it took to get the letter into the hands of Archie's father, he would do, Horatio decided. After all Archie had done for him; all he'd given up; he owed his friend that much.

"Goodbye Archie."

Archie met his gaze. "Goodbye, Horatio." He returned, watching as his friend turned and left through the curtain.

When the door to the sick berth had closed behind Horatio, Archie closed his eyes, finally giving in to the tears he'd been holding back.

Through the torrent of silent tears, a voice finally cut through Archie's pain. It was Katryn, from the other room, doing her stretches on the mat in her room, as she sang.

And as she sang, he listened.

"_I've been there a thousand times; felt the rain like a thousand knives _

_And it hurts. I know it hurts._

_I've been there like a fighter plane, trying to fly my way _

_Thru a hurricane and it's hard. I know it's hard._

_Don't be afraid. You'll make it thru. Just call out to me;_

_And I'll come running to you. _

_Hold on . . . Hold on;_

_When the current pulls you under; and your heart beats like thunder._

_Just give me your hand; and hold on . . . Hold on;_

_Until the storm is over; and I'll be fighting for you. _

_Just give me your hand and hold on . . ._

"_I'll give you hope. I'll give you faith and if it's dark I'll light the way for you . . . _

_By your side until the end. Until you're standing tall again;_

_I'm here. I'll always be here; always be here._

_And if the tide sweeps you out to sea;_

_When your strength is gone and it's hard to believe;_

_Hold on . . . Hold on;_

_When the current pulls you under; and your heart beats like thunder._

_Just give me your hand; and hold on . . . Hold on;_

_Until the storm is over; and I'll be fighting for you. _

_Just give me your hand and hold on . . . Hold on . . ." _

_(Hold On _By 33 Miles)

Archie's eyes closed as he fell asleep, content for the moment that although he had been through one of the hardest days of his life and said goodbye to the only family he had ever known, he still had the support of a whole new family that would not let him down.

No matter what the trials were in the new world he had yet to enter, his new family would not let him face them alone.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER TEN**

Horatio kept his emotions carefully hidden as Matthews and Styles rowed back to the ship. Will, was also quiet, although it was obvious he was not his usual self.

Originally, Horatio had his doubts as to Acting Lieutenant Hobbs' morals and his sense of duty. He had questioned him when they had returned to the jollyboat. Hobbs did not say much, though it was clear he knew what they had done. His only mentions of the injured Officer were that he had not seen Kennedy alive, nor had he seen any of the men speaking to him. He had come only at the Captain Richards' insistence to see Miss White Eagle.

In his eyes, Horatio had seen a softening. If not for Archie's benefit, he would keep his silence at Hannah's request, though Horatio knew nothing of what had been said between the two of them, it was more than obvious she had spoken with Hobbs for a while.

Dr. Sebastian had volunteered his services as a Surgeon for the _Retribution_, until they found the Commodore's flagship. If they didn't find it, he would accompany them to England. Although he mentioned that the Commodore was very likely to seek their ship out, as Luis was not only his Surgeon, but his friend. The others knew there were other reasons as to why Pellew would be looking for them, though. It had become common knowledge between the men in the boat that the Commodore had overseen the transfer of Kennedy to _David's Star, _and would be anxious to know of the young man's condition.

When the group returned to the ship, Horatio gave Will the watch and retreated to his cabin. When the door closed behind him, he finally let the tears he'd been holding back fall. His friend was alive and would continue to live. Of this, he had no doubts, but as Archie had been his closest friend, his brother even, he would still miss him dreadfully. Though his pain and the guilt he had carried before had been eased greatly, he still felt the loss in his heart.

Sighing, he pulled out the wax sealed envelope Archie had given him, and placed it in a safe place in his sea-chest. Removing his topcoat, he heard the distinctive rattle of paper. Frowning, he picked the coat back up, and discovered something else in his other pocket. Another envelope; this one so stuffed full, the paper was straining at the contents. It was also wax-sealed, and below the wax, was what he knew to be called scotch tape; put there in an attempt to keep the letter from bursting open. This envelope had his own name in the center. The handwriting was that of Dr. Casse. Opening it, he found four folded letters, some sort of card and several pictures that had obviously been taken at the time Archie and Horatio had been on _David's Star_, not to mention a few others that had been taken after Horatio had left the ship to rejoin Captain Pellew's crew.

Seated in his bunk, he dumped the contents of the envelope on the bed. The letters were in four handwritings. One, he recognized as Archie's. The second was that of Dr. Casse. The third belonged to Captain Richards, and the fourth he realized to be Hannah's handwriting. The card had a picture of _David's Star _on the cover. The entire crew was in a group together on the main deck. It had been taken at the beginning of the voyage, Horatio realized, as he could visibly see Jesus and George in the midst of the grinning crew members. It didn't have Hannah or Allyssa in it, but Horatio noticed a man he had never seen before. Obviously it was George Sebastian, the crewman who had been killed the day _David's Star_ had first come across his path.

Opening the card, he smiled through his tears. It had been signed by the entire crew, including Archie, who had signed only his first name.

Placing the card aside, Horatio slowly picked his way through the pictures. There were many of himself and Archie. In addition to those, there were pictures of everyone, including some recent pictures of Hannah and Allyssa.

It took him close to an hour to get through the stack of pictures, pausing at the memories they brought back.

Moving on to the letters, he opened the one from Captain Richards first. Amongst the expressions of his best wishes and his reassurances that Archie would be taken care of and looked after until he was settled in, the Captain had advised Horatio not to show the pictures to anyone, with the exception of those who already knew the secret of _David's Star_.

That was certainly understandable, considering what the pictures contained. No, he would definitely never show them to anyone else. He would keep them safely hidden. Sighing, he placed the pictures back into the envelope with the card and laid back, contentedly reading letters.

* * *

In his own quarters, Acting Lieutenant David Hobbs lay in his hammock, reflecting on the day's events and the things Miss White Eagle had told him. On the Quarterdeck, away from the others, she had told him her story. What had happened in her past and of the birth and loss of her child. He had listened, now fully understanding what had happened on the _Renown. _Seaman Robins had been hanged shortly after their arrival in Kingston. Much to the surprise of those present, he had gone willingly and was completely at peace. Whatever the exchange between Robins and Dr. Casse had obviously affected him deeply and though he did not speak of what was said during the time, his actions and demeanor were completely changed.

Robins was granted; at his own request, the time to speak with Miss White Eagle briefly before he was executed. She told Hobbs he had apologized for his actions the night he had attacked her and she had given him her forgiveness and her best wishes, kissing him on the cheek. She'd said she understood and would not hold anything against him.

As he approached the gallows, with conviction, he had only said he was ready to go home.

Shifting his mind back to the present, Hobbs re-read the letter he'd been given by Miss White Eagle and smiled at the picture she had made her friend, Miss Marsden, take of the two of them on the Quarter deck. He knew not how it was made, but he would keep it hidden amongst his dearest keepsakes with her letter.

Kennedy was a very fortunate man, he thought to himself. Though she had not mentioned it, he knew full well they had saved the Lieutenant and taken him with them. He had seen Kennedy's sea-chest when it was brought aboard _David's Star._ As for the possibility of Kennedy and Miss White Eagle eventually ending up together, Hobbs had no doubts she did love him. It had been visible in her eyes, she had loved him from the first day. Above all else, he hoped for her happiness and deliverance from the past that haunted her.

The letter and picture safely hidden, Hobbs finally allowed himself to fall asleep. He had only a few hours before he would take the watch from Lieutenant Bush.

* * *

Archie stirred. He had been dozing lightly, and wasn't sure how long it had been since the singing in the other room had stopped. He only knew it had gone quiet in the sick berth, and the medication he was being given through the IV left his head blissfully cloudy.

A sound.

Archie frowned. In his narcotic-induced lightheaded state, he couldn't determine the origin of the sound until something brushed his arm, startling him. His eyes shot open as he instinctively jerked away. The action was instantaneously regretted when a pain in his chest took his breath away.

Coughing, he was dimly aware of someone's arm around his back, pulling him into an almost sitting position, while holding the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose.

"Sorry." Hannah whispered, as he caught his breath. "I didn't mean to scare the crap out of you."

At the sound of Hannah's voice, Archie's pulse slowed as he allowed himself to relax. After his coughing stopped and his breathing normalized, she lowered him back down to his pillow.

"I'm alright." He reassured her, keeping his voice down. "You just startled me is all."

"Note to self." Hannah responded. "Do not sneak up on patient under the influence of narcotics and blood thinners who has had major chest surgery."

Despite the slowly subsiding pain in his chest, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I was going to disconnect the transfusion IV, but it seems you're seeping again."

Archie groaned in dismay.

Hannah placed the oxygen mask into the drawer in the table beside his bed, and readjusted the tubing under his nose. "Don't get ahead of me." She spoke up reassuringly. "I'm still going to disconnect it. The bleeding has slowed enough that you should be alright."

"So what happens if—"

"I'm leaving the port in, just in case."

Archie made a face.

Hannah laughed. "And I can see you have had dealings with this before."

Archie shrugged. "It's mainly just an annoyance, but Katryn explained the reasons for doing so last time, so I do understand why."

"As long as there are no farther bleeding problems, it'll be removed in a day or so." Hannah informed him, walking over to the cabinet to fetch yet another gown to replace his soiled one.

Archie eyed the new gown. "After all this changing, how is it you even have more in there?"

Hannah laughed. "We soak them in peroxide to remove the blood and then they go to the laundry room." She explained. "However, in this case, you no longer need one with buttons on both sleeves. We have more of the other kind on hand."

"Huzzah." Archie retorted, flatly, with a snort, letting her remove the gown he was wearing.

Hannah giggled. "Actually we haven't changed the gown as much as you'd think." She informed him. "Your assumption earlier about leaving it off was right on the money. We left the gowns off for the first few days after going through about twelve in seven hours."

Archie nodded, thankful he had not been awake for that part.

"Hold this while I change the bandage." She ordered, handing him a flashlight. "This way I don't have to turn the light on."

Archie laid back and propped his elbow on raised railing at the side of the bed opposite from where she was standing. He remained silent, watching her face as she applied the new bandage."

Hannah, conscious of his staring at her finished her work and discarded her gloves. "You're making me nervous." She informed him, finally meeting his gaze.

"Not intentionally." He returned, not shifting his eyes from hers.

Hannah held the stare for a moment before she turned away.

Archie chewed his lip before breaking their momentary silence. "Were you planning to go back to bed?"

Hannah stood a minute before she turned, a small inquisitive smile curving at the corner of her mouth. "Why?" She asked. "Are you bored?"

Archie shrugged, the hint of a blush creeping on his cheeks. "A bit." He responded, honestly. "I have a feeling I'm not going to be getting up any time soon. What exactly am I supposed to do in all this spare time?"

Hannah gave a sly smirk. "You've got a book on the bed beside you." She pointed out, motioning to the book of Shakespeare's Sonnets propped up against the bed railing, where it had slid down when he'd started to doze earlier.

"I've read it at least five and twenty times already."

Hannah raised one brow, looking amused. "You're a really fast reader." She quipped, slyly. "You've only been awake for about 8 hours now."

Knowing she was teasing him, Archie remained silent, not taking the bait.

"Not sleepy then?" Hannah went on. "You looked like you were asleep when I walked over here."

"I heard you." Archie put in, defensively. "It just took me a bit to figure out what I was hearing." He motioned to the smaller bag of liquid connected to the saline bag attached to the IV tubing in his other arm. "Whatever that medication is that Katryn put in that thing, it's really good."

"Fentinel." Hannah informed him. "It's a very small amount, but in this case you needed something stronger than morphine."

Archie raised his eyebrows. "How much stronger than morphine is it, exactly?"

"Roughly about 100 times stronger." Hannah answered. "Which is why we're only giving you a very small amount in IV push; meaning diluted in saline and hooked into your IV on a time release schedule."

100 times as strong. Archie's gaze drifted as he reflected on this. It certainly explained why his head was so fuzzy. "How long am I to be on that?"

"Not too long." Hannah replied, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "We're going to take you back down to morphine after a day or two."

Archie swallowed and nodded.

"Your body is going to take a while to get past the shock of the injury, Archie." She told him seriously. "This isn't like breaking a leg. You literally got a hole blown into your lung and severely damaged part of your liver, not to mention the gall bladder, and I don't think I need to remind you that you wouldn't have survived the trip to Kingston had we not found your ship in time."

"You never told me what happened that day when you called Jesse in." Archie responded, frowning. "There was something about blood clotting and I couldn't breathe."

Hannah sat down in the chair beside his bed and seemed to be thinking a moment before her dark eyes met his gaze. "It was what we call pulmonary embolism." She told him, quietly. "It's what happens when the blood starts to clot in your lungs, choking off the air supply to the brain. Identifiable by a sudden onset of pain in the chest, serious difficulty breathing, bleeding at the mouth, and cyanosis."

Cyanosis. He vaguely remembered her using that word in the sick berth on the Renown. "Pale blue color." He commented, thoughtful.

Hannah nodded. "Usually appears first around the mouth and eyes, then spreads."

"Then what happened?"

"The injured lung was collapsing, and you had abnormal breathing sounds in the other one."

Archie's frown deepened.

"You were going into what we in medical trade call 'Respiratory Failure.'"

After a thoughtful moment, he looked back at her face. "Meaning both lungs were failing." He responded, distantly.

"Yes."

Hannah nodded. "You needed a chest tube to drain the blood build up in the lung that was choking off the oxygen to your brain. You can only go without oxygen for so long before you end up with brain damage. I've only ever assisted on that kind of procedure once in my entire career before that day, but you were going into Respiratory Arrest, and you would have died."

Archie frowned, considering this. "Then it would seem I owe you my life." He remarked after a moment.

Hannah rolled her eyes. "More Jesse than me."

Archie met her gaze with a sly grin. "Don't discredit yourself, my dear." He quipped, smirking. "You were there. Jesse had to be called there."

"Yes but _Will_ was the one who called him." She pointed out.

Archie raised an eyebrow. "Leftennant Bush?" He mused. "And just how did _he_ know how to call Jesse?"

"Shut up." Hannah ordered.

"That's what I thought." Archie retorted, with a triumphant grin.

"If you don't stop that this minute, I'm going to twist those stitches and make you beg for mercy."

Archie stared at her a second before he dissolved into laughter.

"Okay, time for another blood transfusion."

Archie immediately fell silent. He didn't mind some teasing but he did _not_ want to have to deal her putting him back on transfusions.

Satisfied, Hannah stood up.

"You never did answer my question, though." Archie spoke up quietly.

"What question was that?"

"If you were going back to bed or can you sit a while longer?" He reminded her.

"You really _are_ bored, aren't you?"

Archie shrugged. "As I said before, I have a feeling I'm not going to be getting up any time soon." He answered, honestly. "However, that's not the main reason I asked."

"I know." Hannah responded, distantly.

Archie kept silent, waiting for her to finish.

"It's a really long story to tell." Hannah finally replied.

Archie sighed. "I'm not going anywhere." He told her, quietly. "But if you're too tired tonight, I can understand that. I suppose I can find something else to do."

Hannah gave a thoughtful look. "So you're bored with reading." She commented, more to herself than to him. "What else did you have in mind?"

Archie chewed his lip, thoughtfully. "Does Katryn still have that music player?" He asked, curiously. "I didn't see her with it."

Hannah laughed. "Well, she has _a_ music player, but not the one you'd remember." She informed him, with a grin. "That music player died a horrible death of overuse syndrome and when the ship came back to resupply, Katryn found out that they had stopped making those walkmans."

Archie's eyes widened in shock, remembering how attached Katryn was to her walkman.

"Yeah, that's about how she took it too." Hannah answered, laughing. "But hang on a sec."

Archie's brow furrowed as Hannah rushed off toward the women's quarters. After a moment, she returned with something in her hand. Something rather tiny and rectangular.

She handed the item to Archie. Confused, he looked it over. It seemed to be some little rectangular metal object in a little case with a belt clip on it. Opening the case, he pulled out the metal object. It had a tiny screen, and a round circle with different shapes on it, but he couldn't figure out what to do with it. On its backside, he distinguished the odd word, 'iPod' with a picture of an apple beside it.

He looked up at Hannah. "I'm assuming this can't play tapes, and I don't see any way to open it, so how does it work?"

Hannah reached over to the top of the device and pointed at what appeared to Archie to be a tiny button. Making sure he watched what she was doing, she slid the switch over. The little screen lit up. "That's the lock." Hannah told him. "It keeps it from being accidentally turned on."

"Clever."

Step by step, Hannah showed him each feature and how to sift through the playlists on the 'iPod'.

Archie, noting that several of the singers and titles were familiar from his days of listening to Katryn's tapes, looked up at her. "How many songs are on this thing?"

"Over 1400." Hannah answered.

Archie stared at her. "On this tiny little thing?"

Hannah nodded. "It hooks into a laptop, where the songs are actually stored. Not all the songs on the laptop fit in this thing, so I switch them around a lot, but there are enough songs in there to keep you busy for a while."

"Then this is yours, I gather."

Hannah nodded. "Katryn has her own, as do a lot of others."

Archie nodded. "You have some of the same songs though." He pointed out, looking through them.

"A lot of the same songs." She corrected. "Katryn and I have similar music tastes. Although some stuff, I've gotten her hooked to, like Skillet."

"Skillet?"

"It's a band."

"Named after—"

"A frying pan." Hannah confirmed, laughing at his confusion. "Despite that fact, they're really good, if you like very hard rock . . . which I do."

"As in Metal-Rock?"

Hannah nodded. "Except that Skillet is a Christian hard rock band."

Archie shrugged. "Interesting." He'd heard some metal music on Katryn's walkman. It wasn't bad, although the shouted lyrics had given Horatio a headache. Archie, himself, had actually liked some of it. "I'll look that one up." He responded after a beat. "Skillet, you say?"

"Yeah, but it's easier to find on the playlist titled 'Metal.'"

Archie nodded, quickly finding it, and sifted through the songs. "Evanescence?" He questioned, eyeing the band names. "I've heard her music before."

"Amy Lee." Hannah noted. "She has a great voice."

"That she does." Archie agreed.

"I do have a condition for using this."

"Don't break it?"

"Well that goes without saying, but actually I was going to say don't sing with it."

Archie chuckled. "I'll leave that to Katryn." He managed to get out. "Somehow I doubt my injury will allow for singing. I've barely gotten back to _speaking _as it is."

Hannah grinned, wryly. "It only works for Katryn because she keeps one ear uncovered so she can hear herself making sure she's on key. Most don't do that and they're almost _always_ off key. Drives me insane."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah." Hannah replied, as if remembering something. "Watch the battery level. It's rechargeable but the charger has to plug into something. It has enough power for at most 24 hours, but that's as long as the screen isn't lit the whole time. The longer the screen is lit, the more the battery is used. If you're listening to a playlist, let the screen stay off."

"How does it stay off?"

"It turns itself off after a bit." Hannah informed him. "Most of my playlists have a lot of songs so you shouldn't have a lot of trouble. If you don't like the song, just click the next button and it goes to another."

Archie nodded. "Got it."

"And if that's not enough to stem your boredom, here." She went on, dumping a few books into his lap.

Archie eyed the covers. Wordfinds; he was familiar with, having done them before during his last stay. The other two books, he frowned at. "What is 'Sudoku'?"

"It's another mind game involving numbers."

Archie gave a doubtful look.

"The directions are in the first pages." Hannah assured him. "No math skills needed. See?" She pointed to a note at the bottom of the cover of the book.

"Oh good." Archie retorted and pointed at his head. "Very little math skills included."

Hannah laughed but couldn't hide the yawn that followed.

"You'd better get some sleep." Archie spoke up.

Hannah nodded, checking his IV bag. "I think I'll change that first." She remarked, absently. "It's almost empty."

Archie looked up at the saline bag, realizing she was right. "I suppose it would be better than having to come back in a few minutes, although I must admit I wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, I bet." Hannah snorted.

"There is something else I may need before you disappear off to bed though." Archie put in, watching her hook up a new bag to his IV.

"What?"

"Something to write with, that doesn't involve a quill and ink." Archie told her pointedly, motioning to the books in his lap.

Hannah closed her eyes and shook her head. "I knew that."

Archie grinned, watching her return to her room.

When she came back, he was surprised to see her holding a sack of markers and pens.

"Good Lord, I didn't really mean quite _that_ many."

Hannah shrugged. "Variety." She remarked, plopping the bag on his bed. "You can do them all in different colors."

Archie laughed. "How bored would one have to be to consider _that_?"

Hannah gave him a pointed look and opened the book of wordfinds.

To Archie's surprise, as he flipped the pages he discovered that not only were there several in the book that were already done, but every one of them was in a different color. "Point made." He managed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Here." Hannah interrupted, holding something else out.

Archie frowned. "What is it?"

"It's a reading light." She explained. "It clips to the book you're working in so you don't have to have a brighter light."

"Oh, how clever." Archie mused, turning it on.

"Makes it less annoying for the others in the room."

"It also helps the others in the room if you keep your voices down and stop giggling over there!"

Hannah closed her eyes. "Thanks Dave."

Archie started laughing again.

"By the way, nurse, I need some more drugs." Conrad went on. "And could you change my IV bag too, oh and how 'bout a nice big smooch and a sponge bath while you're at it?"

Holding his chest now, Archie was in stitches. (_no pun intended_)

Hannah, noticing his situation, pulled the oxygen mask back out as Archie started coughing again.

"Dave, can you lay off?" Hannah ordered, holding the mask over Archie's face. "You're going to kill him."

"Sorry."

"Do I have to come out there?" Jesse's voice cut in from his room.

"I think he's ok." Hannah responded.

Archie finally caught his breath and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I'm alright." He assured them.

"Sorry again." Dave put in, sincerely.

Hannah replaced the mask in the drawer and moved over to check Dave's IV, finding it to be nearly empty. Changing it, and making sure Dave got his morphine dose, she returned to Archie's side to check on him. "Anything else?"

Archie gave a sheepish look. "Am I allowed water yet?"

"Jess, is he allowed water yet?" Hannah called out.

"Well let's see . . . after all that stress—"

Archie groaned.

"Are you going to behave yourself out there?" Jesse retorted.

"Yes, Daddy." Archie returned.

Dave snickered.

"I suppose he can have a bottle of water." Jesse finally answered.

Hannah retrieved it from another cabinet and set it on the bed beside Archie. "Is that everything?"

Archie, noting the exhaustion in her voice, nodded. "Goodnight Hannah."

"G'night Archie." She murmured, giving his shoulder the customary squeeze.

"G'night Hannah." Dave intoned, sweetly.

"Ah shaddup." Hannah snorted, headed for her room.

Archie resisted the urge to laugh, by turning on the iPod, and placing the headphones over his head to tune Dave's suggestive comments out.

* * *

Dave, bored to tears himself, had been switching back and forth doing between crossword puzzles and reading books in the "_Left Behind_" book series. He had read them several times now and still enjoyed them, regardless of Katryn's pointing out all the continuity errors in addition to some factual errors. Despite these things, even Katryn loved the series and owned all of them. Perhaps he'd see if Archie was interested in reading them when he got bored with the puzzle books.

For the moment, he decided, he would stop teasing Hannah. It was plain obvious she had feelings for the young Lieutenant. Dave had not missed the way she had acted the entire time he'd been in the coma. He knew as well as most others how much Hannah had slept during that time. Not only that, Dave had also noticed Archie seemed to have the same regard for Hannah. Probably best, he decided. Dave liked Archie and had spent a lot of time around him the last time he'd been there. At that time, he'd wondered if perhaps Archie could have come between Katryn and Jesse. As time had gone on, it had become more obvious Katryn saw Archie more like a younger brother.

Archie, at the time, had actually spoken to Dave about her once or twice. Archie, after having been moved back to the main sick berth after the pins had been removed from his knee, had told Dave exactly how he'd seen things. He loved Katryn a lot and it was hard for him to believe how much older she was. As for anything romantic, however, he mentioned Horatio had asked him the same thing and he had given Horatio the same answer. Archie had already noticed Katryn had obvious feelings for Jesse and it was clear Jesse loved her too. Having great respect for both of them, Archie had not even attempted to come between them and; he expressed at the time; he was not even sure he _could_ have come between them.

To see the way Hannah acted with Archie had been to Dave, a miracle. When Hannah had first come on board the ship as Jesus' replacement, he had noted something off about her. Hannah had a quiet nature and a gleam in her eyes that revealed a lot of pain. She had dressed mainly in black, in addition to painting her nails the same color. Though she had to wear her period men's clothing, she had chosen mainly black in this as well, including her black breeches. Her nail polish had been pushing the dress code, but Russ had allowed it as it was not easily noticed.

As the group was like family to each other, they shared a lot about themselves. Dave knew about Hannah's baby, and he knew how the child had come to be, as well as how the child had died. Of all the hurt Hannah still carried with her, of all the people she could have found, Dave knew that Archie was the one person who would understand her the most. Hannah may still wonder as to what God's purpose was for her to be chosen for the crew here, but Dave had no doubts in his mind. Hannah was there for Archie, and it was also why God had saved the young man's life. The two, in Dave's opinion, were meant for each other long ago and it would greatly surprise him if they were not an item before the end of the journey.

Laying back, Dave tried to find a comfortable position to possibly sleep. The morphine Hannah had given him had taken care of most of the pain in his face, but he still had trouble sleeping.

How much had this journey changed the lives of the crew? The friends he'd come to love and then said goodbye to. The Navy SEALs on the ship had been a very close group. Nothing had prepared Dave for what he had seen in the explosion. They had not been wearing their protective gear that day, with the exception of their bullet proof vests. George had heard the click preceding the first blast. He had moved to shield Jose from the explosion, knowing Jose was not even wearing a vest.

Petur, who had been closest to the shot at the time, had jolted the cannonball unknowingly. When it clicked, he had been seated right next to it, working on another. Conrad, having heard the explosion, had ran for the room, with Jesse and Jesus. Petur was not even recognizable. George had taken most of the burns and shrapnel, covering Jose. Conrad had quickly pulled Jose from the room. Jesus was working on George, and with Katryn and Willie seeing to Jose outside the room, Jesse had gone in with Conrad to check George.

This was when Conrad had heard the second click from the shot Petur had been working on. In a split second, he had screamed for KC to get Jose away, and he had grabbed Jesse, pulling him toward the doorway, moving himself in front of him. The shot had blown, the shrapnel impaling both Jesus and George and the ensuing fire ball backlash had caught he and Jesse as they struggled to get out of the room.

Katryn had shot the both of them with a fire extinguisher as Kim had come racing back, the Captain behind him. Russ quickly had gotten men on the job of getting the injured out of the way, and Major Hendricks had allowed only those in full Kevlar gear into the room.

Dave closed his eye. He had not remembered much after being shot with the fire extinguisher. He had passed out as soon as he was sure Jesse was still alive.

When he had finally awakened in the sick berth, the whole side of his face in bandages, with Jesse in the next bed over, Katryn had told him he had permanently lost the sight in his right eye. Due to his loss in eyesight and depth perception, Dave was still awaiting the verdict on his condition. The chances at this point were that he would likely be discharged from the SEAL team. This, to Dave had been the hardest news to take after his learning who had died in the explosion. He was to be eventually awarded a metal for saving Jesse's life, but even this had not really cheered him much. He'd felt bad at not being able to have gotten Jesus out as well, but the young nurse had been just out of Dave's reach.

He sighed, remembering how they had been back in the beginning. Joking around, bored, and reckless. Back when they had saved the _Indefatigable_ by sinking the two French ships, Dave had been seriously reprimanded, as had the others who had broken the dress code rules. The only thing that had saved them back then was the fact that the two French ships they had sank were supposed to have been later sank in a storm in the northern Atlantic. When the ships had not returned and the French were unable to recover them, it had been assumed they had either been sank by the British or lost another way.

The rules had gotten more strict after that incident, and none dared to be seen above decks without being properly dressed, and the women were required to be in men's clothes as per the propriety rules of the time period. Since then, there had been no problems. They still fired on another ship if that ship fired on them, but the shots were mainly aimed for the masts and rigging. Only if the ship persisted, did they fire into the hull.

Also due to the complaints regarding the flag, the sponsors had changed the color to white with a black star. This had fixed a lot of their misunderstandings.

Three years. Good times and bad, Dave still did not regret signing up for the trip. Though things like the explosion were not so good, the trip itself had been nothing short of an adventure worthy of any movie on the silver screen.

Sighing, Dave, having finally found a comfortable position and went back to reading _Soul Harvest,_ before a half hour later, he at last fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

"What was that all about?" Katryn asked, when Hannah returned to the women's quarters.

"I was just loaning Archie my iPod." Hannah replied, yawning. "I think he's a bit bored."

"I think he's sweet on you." Katryn retorted.

Hannah didn't respond as she changed into her night clothes.

"And I see the feeling is mutual."

"Katryn, it's a little soon for me to be planning _any_ kind of relationship." Hannah returned, laying back in her hammock. "Besides, I thought he was more into _you_."

Katryn gave a snort. "Not that I saw." She responded, after a moment. "Besides, I'm engaged and he knows it."

Hannah frowned. "Did you tell him about the wedding?"

Katryn's eyes snapped open. "Oh crap!"

Hannah turned to look at her. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Katryn sighed. "I guess things got so busy I didn't think about it." She admitted.

"Then unless he's gotten a good look at your ring, he may not know you're getting married."

"He _does_ know that Jesse and I are together, Hannah." Katryn told her friend. "He said as much back when he was here last time. In fact, he's spoken about it to several people.

Hannah chewed her lip, looking at the glowing stars on the ceiling. Katryn was right. Archie, having spent a lot of time with Katryn before, would certainly know about her love for Jesse. However, that did not mean that he didn't still like Katryn. The last thing Hannah wanted to be was a second choice. A rebound relationship. In her heart, she knew she _did_ have feelings for Archie. From the first moment, she had looked in his eyes, she'd known something. She'd gone as far to write in her journal that she liked Archie, but she was not yet ready to use the word, 'love.'

Did she love him? Yes, that was a possibility. During the surgery and in the week Archie had been in the coma, she had been deeply afraid. So many loved ones she had lost. The mere thought of losing Archie on top of all the others had frightened her so badly she had been a nervous wreck the entire week he had been comatose. Hannah had sworn years ago she would never allow herself to love again; yet over the last week, her resolve had crumbled. When she had told Archie she was tired, she had not been lying. What she hadn't told him was that the reason she was so exhausted was because the thoughts of losing him had not allowed her to sleep more than a few hours at a time the entire week he had been out.

When Archie had tried to get her to stay with him longer, she knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted to hear the rest of her story. Would she be able to tell him even the parts she had tried so hard to forget? Between her parents' deaths, and the truth of what had happened between Anna and Jared, not to mention her own experience with love; Hannah had come to the conclusion long ago that in her own heart, that true love was indeed a fairy tale, as Plumb had sang in her song, "_Damaged."_

What would Archie think of her if he were to see her as she truly was? If he could see the scars that she managed to keep hidden under her clothes?

Katryn had told her he would understand. That he, of all people would know exactly how she felt about love. Hannah had read through Archie's medical charts, including the documentation of the discussions between Katryn and Archie. The contents of Archie's files, including the scars she had seen on him during the surgery and while taking care of him in his comatose state, did ease some of Hannah's doubts, which was what caused her to finally open up to him.

Would she tell him the rest? Yes. Without a doubt. However, for the moment, her fully exhausted body was in desperate need of sleep.

* * *

Up in his office, Captain Richards was looking through the books on Hornblower, frowning in thought. Something that had been suggested by Jacques. He was studying the life and death of the Midshipman Henry Wellard. The boy, much like Kennedy, had suffered greatly. They had not found the ship fast enough to save him and in most people's sight, it would have been impossible. The boy had been gunned down beside the Captain, and Hobbs had spoken to him as he died. There was really no way to change that without making themselves known.

However, together Hendricks, Cortez, Ratzlov, and Miklos had thought of something. What if, after _David's Star_ had docked in Florida, a few of them went back for one last mission? If by helicopter drop off, they could get one person on board the _Renown _in time to catch the young boy in a quiet area of the ship before the battle that would see Archie shot, and convince him they were there to save him. They could get the boy into a bullet-proof vest with a simple bag of blood. As long as Hobbs was convinced the boy was dead, they had only to switch him with a dummy, covered in canvas and spirit the youngster off the ship to be taken back to their time and picked up in the helicopter. It could possibly work, Russ decided. He would not mention it to Archie in case they couldn't do it, but there would be plenty of time to tell him later on. First, they would have to perfect the plan and study the positions and layout of the ship, and foremost, study what had been done after his death to make sure there was a way to switch the bodies without anyone seeing it.

The whole plan seemed a long-shot and still had several blank places in it, but Russ, in his compassion for the young tortured boy couldn't ignore it. If there was a way, they were going to find it.

* * *

Archie stared at the iPod screen. Hannah's "top 25" song playlist. Assuming these would be her favorite songs, he had clicked on it. The song at the top, he noted was by the group she had called _Skillet_. It was called _Imperfection._ This was certainly a word he knew a lot about.

Listening to it for a moment, he decided it would be easier to see what the song was about, if he listened to one line at a time, writing the words down. Pulling his copy of Shakespeare's Sonnets, he opened it to the back blank page and slowly wrote the words as he heard them.

_You're worth so much. It'll never be enough to see what you have to give._

_How beautiful you are, yet seems so far from everything you wanted to be._

_Tears falling down again. Tears falling down._

_You fall to your knees. You beg. You plead._

_"Can I be someone else for all the times I hate myself?"_

_Your failures devour your heart in every hour._

_You're drowning in your imperfection._

Archie read what he'd written from the first verse and the chorus. Although he'd had a little trouble understanding exactly what was being said in the second line from the last, he'd gotten it after a few times listening to the line. He knew he was wearing the battery with the screen lit, but he wanted to see the full message of the song. He continued writing.

_You mean so much that heaven would touch the face of humankind for you._

_How special you are. A revel in your day. You're fearfully and wonderfully made._

_Tears falling down again. Come let the healing begin._

_You fall to your knees. You beg. You plead._

_"Can I be someone else for all times I hate myself?"_

_Your failures devour your heart in every hour._

_You're drowning in your imperfection._

_You're worth so much. So easily crushed._

_Wanna be like everyone else. No one escapes. Every breath we take._

_Dealing with our own skeletons . . . skeletons._

_You fall to your knees. You beg. You plead._

_"Can I be someone else for all the times I hate myself?"_

_Your failures devour your heart in every hour._

_You're drowning in your imperfection._

_Wont you believe it? Wont you believe in all the things I see in you?_

_You're not the only one._

_You're not the only one; drowning in imperfection._

Rereading the words to the song, Archie could easily see why Hannah favored the song. How many times in his life had he been the same way? _Can I be someone else for all the times I hate myself?_ Despite the shouted lyrics and the hard rock, Archie decided he loved the song. Hitting the menu button, he decided to look through the others on Hannah's top 25 playlist and as he read the names, he realized something else. Some of them had extra things that only Hannah could have added. They seemed to be dedications.

Frowning, he went down the list, reading the titles to himself.

_Whispers in the Dark by Skillet; Thank the Watchmaker by And Then There Were None. _Archie paused. Was there really a band called 'And Then There Were None?' Interesting, he mused, continuing. _Carnival Of Rust by Poets of the Fall; Cut by Plumb; Damaged (Bonus Track-Redemption Extended Edition) also by Plumb._ Beside the Title to the song called _Damaged_, there was a dedication typed in, reading '_For Katryn.'_

He would certainly listen to that one, he decided before he continued down the list. The next song, titled _Into The Fire_ by a group called _Thirteen Senses. _The caption beside it read, '_For Anna and Jared.'_ Archie frowned. Hannah had not finished her story, so he wasn't sure what that one would be about. The next song down caught Archie's attention. The dedication read, _'For David with all my heart.' _David, he remembered was the name of Hannah's late son.

Without continuing down the list, Archie hit the button to play the song called _Amazing. _The woman, Janelle, had a beautiful voice, Archie decided.

"_The morning; cold and raining, dark before the dawn would come._

_How long in twilight waiting, longing for the rising sun?_

_You came like crashing thunder, breaking through these walls of stone._

_You came in wide-eyed wonder into all this great unknown._

_Hush now, don't you be afraid, I promise you I'll always stay. _

_I'll never be that far away. I'm right here with you._

Eyes closed, Archie felt thetear that slipped down his cheek.

"_You're so amazing. You shine like the stars._

_So amazing; the beauty you are._

_You came blazing right into my heart._

_You're so amazing. You are. You are._

"_You came from heaven shining, breath of God still fresh on you._

_The beating heart inside me crumbled at this one so new._

_No matter where, how far you wander; for a thousand years or longer,_

_I will always be here with you. Right here with you._

"_You're so amazing. You shine like the stars. _

_You're so amazing; the beauty you are. _

_You came blazing; right into my heart._

_You're so amazing. You are. You are._

"_I hope your tears are few and fast._

_I hope your dreams come true at last._

_I hope you find love that goes on and on and on._

_I hope you wish on every star._

_I hope you never fall too far._

_I hope this world can see how wonderful you are._

_You're so amazing. You shine like the stars._

_You're so amazing; the beauty you are. _

_You came blazing right into my heart._

_You're so amazing. You are . . . you are."_

Wiping his eyes, Archie's thoughts drifted to Hannah. He had no doubts in his mind Hannah had dearly loved David, and his loss was a heavy weight on her shoulders. Though he knew nothing about the child's father or how it came to be, he did suspect the reason Hannah did not like to speak of it.

Turning back to the playlist, Archie's eyes widened. Not two songs below David's song on the list, was a different song with the written dedication bearing his own name. He was awed that there would be one in there with his name on it, after the short period of time he had known Hannah. _Given and Denied, _he read. By the group he had seen in a song higher up on the list. The one called _Poets of the Fall. _Curiously, he set the puzzle books aside completely to give the song his full attention; and as he listened, he found himself shocked that of all the songs he had ever heard whether sang by Katryn or listened to himself, this one song seemed to fit him perfectly.

Stopping the song as soon as he'd heard the first verse and chorus, he decided to write this one down as well. Turning now to the back cover of his book, he pulled his pen out and wrote the words to the song opposite the words to the other song. He wanted to remember them always, and the way the words flowed from the song was as good as any sonnet he'd ever heard.

_"Which way to the fountain of my youth, I wonder?_

_Which way to the years I let go by?_

_Let a thirsty man drink in its memories_

_While the water still flows sweet and crystal clear for yesteryear._

_Oh to see the sun's eclipse on the horizon, like ships._

_Sailing way away from here, oh just one more time, my dear._

_Before I'll go, hear me out, because of this, there ain't no doubt._

_When it's time for curtain-call, just before the shadows—_

_Fall like a leaf in the wind on the ocean of blue;_

_Like your eyes in the twilight theater._

_With symphonies playing in a world without sound,_

_We're given and denied._

_Give me back my innocence because I wish to dream again._

_Like I never outgrew my old playground._

_Where the sun sets slowly with a golden crown;_

_And the leaves sing lullabies 'round vacant swings._

_Give me those wings._

_Let me fly once again; like I did way back then._

_I would gamble and win to lift me high above the din._

_Of the future we see; does it hold something for me?_

_I'm weightless again just before the shadows—_

_Fall like a leaf in the wind, on the ocean of blue_

_Like your eyes in the twilight theater._

_With symphonies playing in a world without sound;_

_We're given and denied._

Completing the second song in his book, Archie leaned over and placed the book of sonnets back into his opened sea chest beside the bed. He would listen to the rest of Hannah's favorite songs another time. The battery was showing less than two-thirds, so he decided to pick another playlist with more songs on it, so he could leave the screen off to save what was left of the battery. With a shrug, he located the one Hannah had called, _Metal._ He remembered loving the songs he'd heard by Evanescence the last time he'd been here, and Hannah seemed to have several that Katryn did not have, at least not that he had heard before. In addition to this, he was interested in the group called Skillet. Remembering what Hannah had said about Katryn and Jesse loving this band, he decided it was definitely worth listening to.

Katryn stared at Hannah's computer screen the next day. "Holy crap." She murmured, watching the screen as she synced Hannah's iPod.

Hannah, from her hammock, frowned. "What?"

"I'm looking at your 'recently played' list."

"And?"

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You turned an 18th Century Shakespeare addict into a mosh-pit _Panhead_." Katryn informed her, using the general slang term applied to fans of Skillet.

Hannah came over to look at the screen. "Wow." She put in. "Told you Skillet was contagious." She reminded her friend. "Besides, I got you, Jesse and a good portion of the ship addicted to it."

Katryn shook her head. "Yeah, but _Archie_!"

"He said he'd heard hard rock before on your walkman."

Katryn raised an eyebrow. "He did?"

"Evanescence." Hannah reminded her. "Ring any bells?"

"Oh, okay I didn't realize he'd listened to all of that tape." Katryn responded, thoughtful. "Then again, I believe he said something about Horatio getting a headache from it." She paused. "Or was it Horatio who made the comment?"

Hannah frowned.

"Yeah, that's it." Katryn went on, remembering. "Horatio asked for something for a headache he'd gotten from listening to something Archie was listening to. He said Archie seemed to like it, but it gave him a headache and he asked why there were so many songs of the future that included constant incoherent yelling and screaming."

Hannah giggled. "Guess he's not the Metallica type."

"Metallica sucked." Katryn retorted, with a snort.

"That's a matter of opinion." Hannah pointed out. She herself, had been very much into the heavy metal scene. Her bands from her younger years included Metallica, Guns N Roses, Alice Cooper, Nine Inch Nails, Van Halen, Whitesnake, and Def Leppard, amongst other bands. In the metal section of her iPod, she still had songs by some of her old favorites.

"So how is our new shipmate this morning?" Katryn asked, changing the subject.

"Asleep." Hannah replied. "I think he was up all night. I went in to check the iPod battery, he had fallen asleep with it on. Didn't even move when I took it back."

Katryn stared. "I'm impressed." She admitted. "Not only did he listen to Skillet and others like it, but he actually fell _asleep_, listening to it.

Allyssa, finishing the sit-ups she was doing on the exercise mat, came over to look over Katryn's shoulder. "Did he see those ones down there with his name on them?" She asked, looking over at Hannah.

Hannah frowned checking the list. "I don't know." She answered, with a slight blush. She had forgotten she'd put those dedications in some of the songs.

Katryn frowned. "These are from your favorites list." She commented. "Which list was he listening to?"

"I think he'd mentioned he was going to look up the _metal_ list." Hannah remarked. "Even then, I'd told him if he's listening to a playlist, to keep the screen off to save battery so even if he _did_ hear them, he still might not have seen the dedications."

Katryn tilted her head. "_Given and Denied."_ She read. "I have to admit, it's perfect. You know he's a theater addict, right?"

Hannah nodded. "Why do you think I picked that one?" She returned.

"Speaking of Archie, when do we drag him out of bed?" Allyssa asked. "I believe you mentioned he was to be getting up and walking as soon as possible."

"Let him sleep a bit longer." Katryn told her. "When he wakes up, we'll get him on his feet and have him walk to the bathroom."

"And the IV port on the transfusion side?" Hannah questioned.

"If he doesn't start bleeding again when he stands up, we'll take that one out." Katryn remarked, checking Archie's charts. "As for the other, I'd say take him off the Fentinel and switch him down to morphine in IV push."

"Do you want Allyssa to do that or is she doing Conrad's?" Hannah asked.

"Allyssa's been taking care of Conrad's." Katryn pointed out. "Let her get Dave's and you can get Archie's." She paused a moment. "And Conrad needs to be on his feet too, so get him up as soon as you can. I know he's been having too many dizzy spells over the last week, but he's got to get up soon and if the dizzy spells continue, we'll give him a scan to make sure there's nothing wrong with his head."

The two women nodded, trying to look serious.

"Stop that." Katryn scolded. "I mean medically and you know it!"

"And you're doing what?" Hannah asked Katryn.

"I'll supervise."

Hannah and Allyssa exchanged a glance.

"Seniority, my dear." Katryn retorted with a smirk. "The art of sitting on one's ass while watching the lower class people get things done."

The group burst into giggles at her aristocratic impersonation.

"Besides, I believe I am to be cleaning the toilets with Brandon later today." Katryn reminded them, pointing at the job calendar. "And I see Miss White Eagle is doing the dishes today."

Hannah made a face. "I'd rather clean the toilets."

Katryn raised an eyebrow.

"Brandon's more fun to work with then Chang is." Hannah explained. "Chang doesn't speak English as well as his brother does and he never gets it when people are joking with him. It's annoying."

"I'll wash the dishes, if you do the litter boxes with Davey." Allyssa cut in.

Hannah brightened. "Deal!" She agreed. "I love working with Davey. He's insane."

The nineteen year old Chang Lee had taken a liking to Allyssa. Because of this, she worked most easily with the boy. Allyssa, though she thought Chang to be rather cute, liked him, but not in a romantic way.

Katryn checked her watch. "If you're doing the litter boxes, Hannah, you'd better get down to the orlop." She informed her friend. "You've got about three minutes."

Hannah checked her own watch, and nodded. "Let me know if Archie wakes up while I'm gone."

"Got it." Katryn responded as Hannah left the room. "Go let Chang know you've switched with Hannah for dishes."

Allyssa nodded and ran out of the room.

Katryn, exited their quarters, and moved to check on the patients. Conrad was just beginning to wake up.

"Hey KC." He spoke up.

"How are you doing?"

"I have a headache." He replied. "But that's been normal."

"Are you still dizzy?"

"Not as much as before."

"Where is the headache?"

Conrad motioned to where the bandaging was. "Just behind where the eye was." He responded. "You afraid of it being something more serious?"

Katryn nodded. "If it gets any worse, you let Jesse or me know immediately." She ordered. "We can run another CT scan and make sure there's no fluid drainage or internal bleeding."

Dave nodded. "How's Archie?"

"Asleep last Hannah checked." Katryn informed him.

Dave lowered his voice. "She's in love with him, you know."

Katryn gave a smile. "As if there's a way I _wouldn't_ know that?" She pointed out.

"He's the same with her." Dave informed her.

"Wouldn't surprise me. They have a lot in common." Katryn eyed his thoughtful look. "What is it you're thinking?"

"Has anyone given thought as to how we're going to get an illegal alien into the States without a passport or a visa?" Dave asked.

Katryn sighed. She hadn't thought of that.

"Just call it a possibility." Dave suggested. "But if the two of them get close enough in the month we have before we hit Florida, we _could_ get him into the US with a legal marriage license."

Katryn frowned. "True." She commented. "But wait and see. When it comes to Hannah, I don't want to rush her into anything. If they decide to become a couple, we'll see what they think later on, but let them do things on their own before we make suggestions."

"That's what I meant." Dave told her. "Call it a hunch though, if I was into betting I'd say even money says they're an item before the end of the voyage. I'm not making assumptions, I just have a feeling they're supposed to end up together."

Katryn nodded, seeing Allyssa re entering the room. "I know what you mean." She informed him. "For now, I believe Miss Allyssa has to get you out of bed."

Dave made a face. "Oh _joy_."

"Don't worry." Allyssa spoke up, smiling. "I made sure to bring the vomit bag this time."

Katryn burst into laughter.

"Bite me." Dave retorted.


End file.
